Joy Behar says Stephen Colbert’s show wasn’t just canceled — it was targeted. On Tuesday’s episode of The View, Behar claimed former President Donald Trump was behind the move, saying he’s “coming for the comedians.”
She drew a comparison to medieval times. “Only the court jester could mock the king,” she said. “And now, the king doesn’t want the jesters doing their job.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin took it even further. She warned that canceling Colbert’s late-night show was “the dismantling of our democracy.” Hostin claimed it had nothing to do with finances and everything to do with politics.
“If the comedians are being attacked, then that means our Constitution is being dismantled,” Hostin said. “We must protect our democracy. This is bigger than just the cancellation of a television show.”
But Sara Haines brought up the money. She noted that streaming has changed the ad game, and networks aren’t seeing the same revenue. “It could be financial,” she said.
Hostin pushed back, saying Colbert brought in $60 million in ad buys. What she didn’t mention: the show reportedly cost about $100 million to produce, creating a $40 million shortfall.
Whoopi Goldberg jumped in too. She said she still stands with Colbert and isn’t convinced the show is really over. “I’m not seeing that the Late Show is gone,” she said. “I don’t feel like it’s gone.”
Despite the debate, CBS has not officially confirmed that Trump played any role in the decision. For now, the future of The Late Show remains unclear.