Stephen Colbert officially ended his 11-year run as host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday night, but outside the theater, people felt something more than just nostalgia. Audience members gathering for the final episode directed much of their frustration toward Donald Trump. Several of them openly accused politics, and even “fascism,” of contributing to the show’s cancellation.
Stephen Colbert’s last show audience blame Donald Trump and ‘fascism’
The heated reactions came months after CBS announced it would end The Late Show. The timing of the cancellation became a major talking point. CBS pulled the plug just days after Colbert criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, over its reported $16 million settlement involving Trump.
At the time, Trump repeatedly mocked Colbert online following the cancellation news, though he later denied having any involvement in the network’s decision. Still, many fans attending the final taping clearly weren’t buying the idea that the show’s ending was purely business-related.
Outside the theater, viewers speaking to Rob Schmitt Tonight on Newsmax didn’t hold back. One woman bluntly claimed, “It’s fascism, basically,” when asked why she believed the show was ending. Another attendee argued that government influence over the media should alarm Americans. “The moment our government is controlling the press and media, we have now entered into fascism,” she said. She added that seeing someone like Colbert removed from television over what “feels to be politics” was both “disappointing” and “scary.”
A different audience member pointed to what she described as “the desire to quell any and all opposition,” calling it another sign of authoritarian behavior. According to reports, one of the show’s producers, identified as Brent, told viewers that nearly everyone involved with the final taping was pointing fingers in the same direction. “Everyone is blaming Trump and fascism,” he reportedly said.
One man said Colbert lost his job because of “cancel culture,” adding that it was ironic how things had changed. Another one said, “This is what these people voted for, and I hope they learn their lesson, because pretty soon they’re all about to f—ed.”
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava on Reality Tea.
