Keith Olbermann Pours Cold Water On Claims Colbert Was Fired For Political Reasons

Ex-MSNBC big Keith Olbermann has weighed successful connected whether Stephen Colbert was canceled by CBS for governmental reasons, throwing acold h2o connected nan mentation he was axed for his disapproval of Trump. 

"Sorry. That's not what happened here. If it had, they wouldn't beryllium keeping him connected until adjacent MAY," Olbermann said successful a station connected X.

CBS announced they’d canceled "The Late Show pinch Stephen Colbert" Thursday, stating that nan complete 30-year-long franchise would travel to an extremity successful May 2026 pinch nary consequent big taking complete pursuing Colbert’s departure. The show was antecedently hosted by David Letterman from 1992-2015. 

Keith Olbermann poured acold h2o connected claims that Colbert was canceled for governmental reasons.  (Paul Drinkwater/NBC NewsWire)

DEMOCRATS FAWN OVER STEPHEN COLBERT FOR HOLDING 'TRUTH TO POWER' AFTER CBS CANCELS SHOW

Olbermann authored nan station successful consequence to an X personification who posted that Colbert’s firing was a motion that nan United States had descended into fascism.  

"We are officially astatine nan ‘pulling comedians disconnected nan aerial who knock our beloved leader’ shape of fascism," nan personification posted complete a image of nan late nighttime host.

Following nan network’s announcement of Colbert’s ouster, galore left-wing politicians and journalists said out, alleging that nan talk show big was fired for governmental reasons, speculating that axing Colbert – a fierce professional of President Trump – was an effort to placate White House officials amid a pending merger betwixt CBS’ genitor institution Paramount and Skydance.

"CBS’s billionaire owners salary Trump $16 cardinal to settee a bogus suit while trying to waste nan web to Skydance. Stephen Colbert, an bonzer talent and nan astir celebrated precocious nighttime host, slams nan deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I deliberation this is simply a coincidence? NO," Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders posted connected X.

CBS announced "The Late Show pinch Stephen Colbert" would cease accumulation successful May 2026.  (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

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"If Paramount and CBS ended nan Late Show for governmental reasons, nan nationalist deserves to know. And deserves better," Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wrote on X.

CBS settled pinch President Trump aft he sued nan web alleging predetermination interference complete a "60 Minutes" question and reply pinch his 2024 force erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris which he alleged was deceptively edited. A clip from nan interview, successful which Harris was asked astir nan warfare successful Gaza, was released connected "Face nan Nation" anterior to nan "60 Minutes" broadcast and featured nan erstwhile VP delivering an reply that was wide derided arsenic "word salad." When nan question and reply was yet broadcast, a different, much concise consequence was swapped successful its place. 

CBS, however, claimed that "The Late Show’s" cancellation was owed to financial reasons, saying nan show mislaid immoderate $40 cardinal a year. Colbert is No. 1 successful nan precocious nighttime timeslot among web talk show hosts (though he regularly comes down Fox’s Gutfeld), averaging around 2.4 cardinal viewers per episode. Overall viewership for precocious nighttime talk shows has steadily declined successful caller years, starring to a alteration successful full advertisement revenues.

Colbert was tapped to big nan "Late Show" pursuing Letterman’s status aft he hosted nan wide acclaimed "Colbert Report" connected Comedy Central. Upon taking nan reins of nan franchise, Colbert eschewed nan well-known look of hosting a show that appeals to nan broadest swath of Americans, opting alternatively for a highly partisan, Trump-critical program.

CBS said nan show was losing $40 cardinal a year.  (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has reached retired to CBS for comment.

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When erstwhile President Joe Biden won nan 2020 election, Colbert popped champagne connected aerial and danced, proclaiming his joyousness successful nan predetermination result. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Biden did it! He's our adjacent president! I'm truthful happy!" he proclaimed, adding that he cried tears of joyousness upon learning Trump would nary longer beryllium president.