Byron Allen isn't Stephen Colbert, and that's the exact attitude he has as Comics Unleashed takes over The Late Show's timeslot on CBS. The comedian and host said his 20-year program isn't going to imitate or replace the series during its big showing on the 2026 TV schedule, and he made that clear to CBS at the start.
As Colbert's exit after the final episode paved the way for a smooth transition to Comics Unleashed, Allen appeared on NPR to answer some questions about his new spot on the late-night scene. He brushed off any notion that he'll need to change how he operates just because he'll have a bigger timeslot due to recent events, saying:
At the end of the day, I'm not trying to replace Colbert. I am not trying to hold on to his audience because Comics Unleashed has been around 20 years and has its own audience.
The interviewer pointed out that while Comics Unleashed has had a steady audience in the long run, its past viewership numbers haven't ever been on the same scale as The Late Show or other late-night juggernauts. It led to questions of whether Allen may alter his show or ask for larger guests to attempt to draw in more eyes, but the host maintained he's been clear from the start that he's sticking with what he's used to.
Rather than change Comics Unleashed's format or comedy angles to pull in displaced viewers of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Allen would sooner stick with his established audience. To him, he feels like that's the better key to success. In his words:
Not everybody's gonna love me. But there is that one or two percent that would be like, 'Hell yeah, I'm rolling with you,' and I learned that at an early age.
The bottom line: don't expect Byron Allen to take shots at President Trump like Stephen Colbert did. While his predecessor leaned into speculation that the POTUS played a role in The Late Show's cancellation and traded jabs with his administration, Allen has no interest in offering political commentary or giving a platform to anything other than what he considers good comedy.
It's an interesting strategy that doesn't feel as though it would be instantly successful in past television climates, but these are different times. The traditional late-night television model is dated, and it seems networks are equally as concerned about social media engagement as they are live viewership. Plus, as David Letterman pointed out, Byron Allen is paying CBS for the timeslot, in exchange for being able to claim all its advertising money. The network will make money post-Colbert, and that may be all Allen needs to survive on late-night.
If Comics Unleashed is able to thrive in a way different than The Tonight Show or Jimmy Kimmel Live!, maybe it'll pave the way for new offerings on late-night once again. It's an interesting model, though I will be curious to see how long it runs for. Allen's kept his show running for twenty years, so I wouldn't count him out.
Comics Unleashed airs on CBS weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET. I'm eager to check the series out and see how its doing in its new time slot, and what celebrities are coming out to support it.
