CBS Has Said Canceling Stephen Colbert's Show Was 'Financial.' What Does The Average American Think?

As the supposed fallout of the Paramount/Skydance merger continues, the 2025 TV schedule is the beginning of the end for CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. With Colbert’s surprise cancellation still lingering, and the corporate players proclaiming the move as a “financial decision,” the validity of that motive has been questioned by not only celebrities and fellow late night hosts, but also the American public.

A new poll reported by Yahoo seems to back that viewpoint, as the axing of The Late Show lead to some interesting data. Perhaps the most telling result are the top two results that pollsters pegged for why Paramount/CBS cancelled the almost 10 year program; as well as its legendary late night fixture.

• 40% of Americans disapproved of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's cancellation.
• 35% of Americans surveyed think that Stephen Colbert is “about right” in sociopolitical content (versus 28% saying he's "too political," and another 3% saying he's "not political enough.")
• 37% of responses expressed that “Paramount is trying to curry favor with Trump administration.”
• 36% agreeing that another cause was “Stephen Colbert is too critical of Donald Trump.”
• Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon are tied at 25% for the title of "favorite late-night show host."

By the numbers, it would appear that “the Average American” does not feel that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s reported financial losses are truly the cause of its cancellation. Which aligns with some of the opinions we’ve seen from other late night notables. One such example would be Andy Cohen’s remarks about the CBS cancellation, in which the Watch What Happens host offered a breakdown of what he felt would have been a more financially motivated strategy.

Meanwhile, Skydance CEO David Ellison’s alleged feelings on CBS personalities acting “like they’re the IP” poses a counterpoint that appears to be acting in the name of “fundamentals.” Yet if you trust former Late Show with David Letterman producer Rob Burnett’s thoughts, he might tell you the perceived threat to the Paramount/Skydance merger was the true problem.

For all of the inside baseball discourse that exists around Stephen Colbert’s May 2026 departure, the “true cause” has certainly seemed to be up for debate. And that debate has hit every corner of the interwebs, from celebrities to the audiences watching at home.

As the discourse continues to run around the Internet, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will continue running -- for at least a few more months -- in its usual 11:35 PM ET slot on CBS, with new episodes heading to streaming for those with a Paramount+ subscription after they’ve aired.