After The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was suddenly canceled and caused an uproar with viewers, celebrities such as Bowen Yang and Jimmy Kimmel are showing their support. Kimmel also called out claims about The Late Show losing money, as many are wondering what this means for late-night television. While it’s hard to predict how things will turn out for other late-night shows, The Tonight Show producer Lorne Michaels is weighing in on the whole situation.
Michaels not only created and currently produces Saturday Night Live, which entering its 51st season on the 2025 TV schedule this fall, and rumored to also be in danger, but his Broadway Video production company has been producing The Tonight Show since former SNL cast member Jimmy Fallon took over in 2014. He’s also been producing Late Night, currently hosted by fellow former SNL cast member Seth Meyers, since the ‘90s, so Michaels definitely has a lot of experience in that genre. And like many, he was surprised when The Late Show’s cancelation was announced, as he told Puck News’ Matt Belloni:
I was just stunned. I’m on the side of the people who do shows, but there’s two audiences now. There’s the audience that is [watching on] TikTok and YouTube, and there’s a linear audience. Both Seth [Meyers] and [Stephen] Colbert are heirs to David Letterman. You know what I mean? Conan [O’Brien] as well. They’re going to be doing that [type of show], just as I’m still doing SNL, as if everybody’s watching that night. But Jimmy [Fallon] does a lot of stuff that you can watch all day.
There have been a lot of reported factors for The Late Show’s cancelation, including the new CBS head honcho blaming YouTube, where a lot of people have been watching either clips or full interviews. That's exactly what Michaels pointed out. But that can really be said for any show as the Internet continues to take over. That being said, nothing is ever certain when it comes to a show’s renewal or cancelation... no matter how bleak or great things may look.
Things could always change a year from now, but Michaels doesn’t seem too worried. He revealed the chances of The Tonight Show and Late Night, and it seems like fans will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now:
Yes. I think Brian Roberts (Comcast's CEO) − who I will be working for for the rest of my life, who I have very high admiration for −has integrity. At the same time, everyone has (broadcast) licenses … But I really don't believe that we affect things.
It sounds like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will be sticking around for a long time, which is definitely a good thing. It also helps that Michaels has a good relationship with the Comcast CEO. Both Fallon and Meyers have shown support to Colbert, as have other late-night hosts, and both of their shows do well. Plus, this certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Fallon was probably worried about a cancelation, as he’s been open about public criticism and bad press before, no matter where it comes from.
The television landscape is never the same, and things are constantly shifting, whether it’s directly behind the scenes or a higher power. Even though The Late Show’s cancelation has ruffled more than a few feathers and has made people worried about the future of late-night, there are likely other factors that go into it. What this could mean months from now is unknown, and the status of other late-night shows is hard to tell. If The Late Show is any indication, anything can happen.
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