Byron Allen to Take Over CBS Late Show Slot with Comics Unleashed
Byron Allen's 'Comics Unleashed' took over CBS's 11:35 p.m. slot on Friday with a low-cost, politics-free comedy format, replacing Stephen Colbert's topical monologues with a syndicated-style comedy panel.
Objective Facts
Byron Allen's 'Comics Unleashed' took over CBS's 11:35 p.m. late-night slot on May 22, 2026, the day after Stephen Colbert's final episode aired, under a time-buy agreement where Allen leases the airtime and sells commercial inventory. The move marks a dramatic shift from Colbert's topical, Trump-era political comedy to Allen's syndicated-style comedy format built around quick jokes and minimal controversy. Allen told The Wrap that CBS will save approximately $150 million-plus annually on production and marketing. Allen told CNN's Michael Smerconish his show avoids politics entirely, stating 'we don't talk about politics,' 'we don't talk about anything that's topical,' and his goal is to 'just be funny and don't offend'. Critics on the left and progressive outlets frame the switch as CBS prioritizing Allen's apolitical comedy over Colbert's sharp anti-Trump political satire.
Left-Leaning Perspective
Hollywood Progressive criticized the transition, noting Colbert's show became 'one of the most consistent mainstream TV platforms mocking Trump, exposing MAGA foolishness,' but that CBS is now removing that voice. The outlet argued that 'the sharper political critic goes out, the safer advertiser-friendly product comes in, and the corporate people smile because the numbers work,' framing this as CBS deliberately prioritizing profit over political accountability. A.V. Club critic wrote that 'with Allen, CBS gets light laughs, weak jokes, and zero political critique five nights a week for basically nothing,' and that 'apolitical is a political choice' that serves those in power. Hollywood Progressive contended CBS is moving Colbert out specifically because 'Colbert's brand of sharp, anti-Trump political satire brings heat, friction, and controversy,' while swapping it for 'risk for safety, confrontation for comfort'. Progressive media emphasizes the timing—that Colbert was canceled shortly after criticizing Paramount's Trump settlement—as evidence the decision was political rather than purely financial.
Right-Leaning Perspective
Fox News reported that Allen's show 'will avoid politics' and noted his stated goal to 'reach viewers regardless of how they vote' by 'following Norman Lear's example'. WBLS reported approvingly that the move marks 'a major shift for CBS late-night programming after more than a decade of politically driven comedy,' and that 'Allen stressed that his version of late night will focus on humor instead of partisan debate,' wanting 'viewers from different backgrounds to watch together without political tension'. NewsBusters emphasized positively that Allen 'emphasized the show will not feature politics but instead appeal to all and bring people together using comedy'. Conservative outlets note that 'critics argued late night had become overly partisan,' framing Allen's approach as a correction. Right-leaning coverage presents the transition as welcome depolarization of late-night television.
Deep Dive
CBS announced Colbert's cancellation in July 2025, citing purely financial reasons, but the decision came while Paramount was seeking FCC approval for the Skydance merger and shortly after Colbert had criticized the network's $16 million Trump settlement. Late-night faces genuine structural decline: Colbert averaged 2.4 million viewers despite being the highest-rated legacy show, and declining ad revenue has forced all networks to cut costs. CBS insiders confirmed the time-buy with Allen creates 'immediate profitability in late night' for the first time, making financial sense independent of politics. However, the *framing* of what replaces Colbert carries political weight: the swap of 'sharp, anti-Trump political satire' for 'something smoother, softer, and far less threatening to power' is the substance of the left's objection. Right-leaning outlets emphasize that late-night had 'become overly partisan' and welcome a format that doesn't demand political allegiance from viewers. The unresolved question is causation: Did CBS choose Allen because his format solves the profit problem (financial explanation), or did political pressure create opportunity to replace a Trump critic (political explanation)? Allen himself was actively lobbying CBS from October 2025 onward, saying his 'hand is already up' for the slot, suggesting the opportunity was genuinely available to him as an entrepreneur, not imposed. Yet Trump's immediate public celebration of Colbert's exit frames the outcome as beneficial to those hostile to Colbert's commentary, regardless of intent.