Stephen Colbert Jokes Paramount Should “Uncancel” Hit Show Instead of Spending $108B on Warner Bros.
Stephen Colbert took aim at Paramount Skydance’s $108 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery during Tuesday’s episode of The Late Show. The comedian suggested that the company could spend its money more wisely, by bringing back a canceled CBS show.
“Just yesterday morning, my beloved parent company, Paramount, reportedly launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Brothers, valued at $108 billion. 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,” Colbert joked during his monologue, according to RadarOnline.
The audience responded with loud cheers, prompting Colbert to calm the crowd before continuing. “CBS, you heard the people. Bring back ‘The Equalizer.’ We need our Queen to return. Why do you think America has become so unequalized?” he added. Colbert was referencing Queen Latifah’s The Equalizer, which concluded after five seasons in May.
The late-night host also wove his own cancellation into the joke. CBS announced this year that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, citing financial reasons for retiring the franchise after 33 years, 22 seasons under David Letterman and 11 under Colbert. The decision sparked debate due to the show’s popularity, the Skydance-Paramount merger, and Colbert’s history of political commentary.
Colbert also poked fun at the funding behind the takeover. “Turns out Paramount got a little assist on the cash front. 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 quipped.
Stephen Colbert comments on Paramount's $108B hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros
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"Wow … If my company's got that kind of green … I'm sure they can afford to un-cancel one of their best shows" pic.twitter.com/j04VThU1vQ
He closed with a tongue-in-cheek remark about future CBS programming: “In a totally unrelated story, I’m looking forward to next season’s new CBS hit comedy, ‘Young Mohammed bin Sheldon.’”
Colbert’s jokes highlight the intersection of media mergers, big-money deals, and late-night television politics. It’s clear he’s using humor to comment on both his own show’s future and the massive business moves shaping Hollywood.
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