According to media reports, satirist Stephen Colbert will soon moderate a late night show again-but as an actor. The 61-year-old has a guest role in the third season of the dramedy crime series “Elsbeth”, report the industry magazines “Deadline”, “The Hollywood Reporter” and “Variety”. The series is broadcast on the US broadcaster CBS. The same broadcaster had announced the removal of Colbert’s own talk show a good two weeks ago.
According to the reports, Colbert’s episode was filmed last week, but his guest appearance could have been planned for a long time. In February, “Elsbeth” actor Wendell Pierce Colbert promised in his late show to provide him with a role in the crime series. “Elsbeth” is an offshoot of the lawyers’ “Good Wife” and “The Good Fight”. Carrie Preston plays the eccentric lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni, which helps the police to investigate murder cases.
Outrage among fans and colleagues about the end of the late night show
In mid-July, the US broadcaster CBS announced that “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” would end in May 2026. The announcement had caused outrage among fans and many colleagues Colberts.
Others had celebrated the announced dismissal of the moderator known for his sharp humor. US President Donald Trump, whom Colbert criticizes more often in his show, wrote Truth Social on his online language tube: “I totally love that Colbert was fired. His talent was even smaller than his ratings”.
Talk show moderators such as Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and Seth Meyers stood behind Colbert. In his “The Daily Show”, comedian Jon Stewart said about the dismissal: “I think the answer lies in the fear and the preceding obedience, which at this moment has all the institutions under control.”
Comedy talker oppose Trump biting ridicules
The late night shows, which are popular in America, have been a powerful format since Trump’s election as President to counter the president’s right-wing populism. While traditional media formats can reach their limits because of the many falsehoods and distortions of reality in reporting on Trump, the comedy-Talker opposing him, who reveals Trump from the audience of ridiculousness.
