OUR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE IS OVER: The Long Farewell to Stephen Colbert Is Finally Over; Now We Can Laugh at the Grave Mourning of His Loss.
Many others this week have been flooding the headlines with this cancellation, and it has been a miasma of misinformation. As the show closes, the ongoing conceit has been that Colbert has been forced off the airwaves by President Trump. This, despite the reason given by multiple news outlets showing that this was a business decision by the network. First reported by Puck News, the program’s fiscal losses of between $40-50 million a year for CBS were also stated as a cause by the New York Post, and confirmed by the Wall Street Journal.
But let’s not allow data and spreadsheets to interrupt a political narrative! Trump cannot tolerate being insulted, and so he was forcing Colbert off the air as a form of retribution. As alleged noted historian Jon Meacham said, “Always worry when they come for the comedians.”
Exactly. CBS has replaced a member of the Democrats’ palace guard…
…With a man who says this:
[Byron] Allen has revealed that he plans to lease the time slot from the network and sell its ad revenue himself. “I’m putting a lot of money in their cash register,” he said. “I am a gift from the money gods*. And the comedy gods.”
His series, however, will stay far away from the type of political humor that defined The Late Show. “I don’t care who you vote for. I just don’t care,” Allen said. “That’s your business. Go do what you gotta do, you know? I’m just here to make you laugh.”
Instead, Comics Unleashed will maintain its original format and feature, as Allen explained, “nothing political, nothing sexist, nothing racist, nothing antisemitic, nothing homophobic.” He added that he wants his show to “just be funny.”
The response from another palace guard? Jimmy Kimmel Urges Viewers to “Never Watch CBS Again” After Colbert Finale.
To paraphrase Jon Meacham, always worry when the palace guard comes for the comedians:
* Wait, CBS will have a net inflow of money during their late night timeslot? That’s got to be a relief after all the cash this show hemorrhaged:
UPDATE: “Always worry when they come for the comedians:”
