On his first episode back from vacation, Stephen Colbert, the host of CBS's "Late Show," openly criticized parent company Paramount Global for its recent settlement regarding President Donald Trump's lawsuit over a controversial “60 Minutes” segment. Colbert described the $16 million settlement as a “big fat bribe,” aligning himself with fellow comedian Jon Stewart, who had previously lambasted the deal on "The Daily Show." This settlement, announced on July 1, has positioned both Colbert and Stewart as key internal critics of the company.
The settlement arose from Trump's grievance over the editing of an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris that aired last fall. Critics, including Colbert, have suggested that the primary motivation behind the settlement was to facilitate the impending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which requires approval from the Trump administration. Colbert expressed his discontent during his monologue, stating, “I am offended. I don’t know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”
Stewart's critique of the settlement came a week prior, wherein he termed it a “shameful settlement” during a segment interrupted by a humorous fake advertisement. He emphasized the detrimental effects of the settlement on journalistic integrity, questioning retired “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft about the internal ramifications of the deal. “I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?” Stewart asked, to which Kroft agreed, affirming that “devastating is a good word.”
Recent media speculation has also suggested that David Ellison, the head of Skydance, might consider eliminating Colbert's and Stewart's positions to placate Trump, should the sale proceed. A representative for Ellison did not provide immediate comment. Given that Stewart produces content for a network with limited original programming, it may be simpler to part ways with him. Conversely, Colbert remains the ratings leader in late-night television and is renowned for his critical stance against Trump, who has labeled him “a complete and total loser.”
In a light-hearted moment during his monologue, Colbert referenced rumors regarding his job security by showcasing the mustache he grew during his vacation, joking, “OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert if they can’t find him?” This humorous quip served to underline the tension surrounding the settlement while also connecting with his audience.
This week, both Colbert and Stewart received Emmy nominations for outstanding talk series, joining ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, who is also known for his critical stance on Trump. Despite the controversy, CBS News journalists have largely remained silent since the settlement's announcement. Notably, two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, either resigned or were pushed out before the settlement due to their vocal discontent.
When reporting on the settlement, CBS Evening News anchor John Dickerson posed a significant question to viewers: “Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you’ve traded away that trust?” He emphasized that the audience would ultimately determine the implications of the settlement for their trust in the network, suggesting that CBS's role is to uphold journalistic integrity on behalf of the public.
