In a blistering monologue, Colbert suggested the $16 million payout was “a big fat bribe,” arguing that Paramount’s owners needed the Trump administration to approve the sale of CBS to Skydance. The Paramount-Skydance merger was eventually approved and finalized in August 2025.

Jersey Shore rock legend Bruce Springsteen blasted network executives over the end of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" during a defiant, politically charged final appearance Wednesday night. While CBS and Paramount Global executives have maintained ...