Stephen Colbert addressed Paramount Skydance’s $108 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery on The Late Show, suggesting that his “beloved parent company” could instead use the money to “uncancel” him.
During last night’s monologue, the host explained how there is currently “a huge bidding war” for Warner Bros. Discovery, which has “a lot of juicy IP.” “We’re talking DC superheroes, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Fifty Shades of Grey, and The Lord of the Rings,” he noted. “Not to mention its erotic spin-off, Fifty Shades of Gandalf the Grey.”
Colbert broke down the bidding war, which involves Netflix bidding for Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion. “But just yesterday morning, my beloved parent company, Paramount, reportedly launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Brothers, valued at $108 billion,” he continued. “Wow. I got to say, if my company’s got that kind of green, I’m sure they can afford to uncancel one of their best shows.”
After cheers from the audience, Colbert quipped, “CBS, you heard the people. Bring back The Equalizer. We need our Queen to return. Why do you think America has become so unequalized?” Colbert was referencing Queen Latifah’s TV adaptation of The Equalizer, which was canceled after five seasons back in May, although, of course, he really meant his own show, which will come to an end in 2026.
“Turns out Paramount got a little assist on the cash front,” Colbert said. “Their bid includes $24 billion from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi wealth funds. And when the dictator of Saudi Arabia gives you billions of dollars, I’m sure there’s no catch.”
He joked, “In a totally unrelated story, I’m looking forward to next season’s new CBS hit comedy, Young Mohammed bin Sheldon.”
In July, CBS announced plans to end its late-night talk show, hosted by Colbert over the last decade, in May 2026, amid financial issues at the network. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time,” the network said in a statement. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.”
CBS added, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Colbert started hosting The Late Show in 2015, taking the baton from David Letterman, after hosting the news satire show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. As of July, Colbert had hosted the show for 10 seasons on CBS, filming at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.
