CBS Announces Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Replacement

The final episode of the Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs on May 21.

On Friday, May 22, CBS will unveil its new late night lineup.

The comedy show Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, which has been airing on CBS late at night, is moving to 11:35 PM. It used to be the time slot for both Stephen Colbert and, before him, David Letterman’s shows. Because each episode is only half an hour long, CBS will now show two episodes in a row. You’ll also be able to watch it live on Paramount+.

So, CBS is trying something new in the space previously occupied by Comics Unleashed. They’re launching a game show called Funny You Should Ask, and I have to say, I’m intrigued! Jon Kelley is hosting, and like its predecessor, each episode runs for a half-hour, meaning they’ll be showing two episodes back-to-back each night. Interestingly, Allen Media Group, the same folks behind Comics Unleashed, are also producing this new show.

Per a press release, here was Allen’s comment on the news:

Twenty years ago, I started COMICS UNLEASHED to give comedians a place to share their humor and make people laugh. I’m grateful to CBS for believing in our shows – COMICS UNLEASHED and FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK – because we could all use more laughter in the world.

Stephen Colbert began hosting the Late Show in the fall of 2015, succeeding David Letterman, who originally launched the program. Before that, Colbert hosted Late Night on NBC, leaving in 1993 to take over the 11:35 PM slot on CBS.

As a lifelong fan of late-night comedy, I remember when Allen’s Comics Unleashed first hit the airwaves about 20 years ago as a syndicated show. It’s kind of popped up here and there on CBS ever since, filling in when other programs were shifted around. Just recently, when the premiere of After Midnight was held up by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Comics Unleashed unexpectedly took over that 12:35 AM slot, bridging the gap between its own debut and the final episodes of The Late Late Show With James Corden.

In July of last year, CBS announced that Stephen Colbert’s Late Show would be ending, citing financial reasons due to the difficulties facing late-night television. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Byron Allen is essentially funding the continued broadcast of two hours of programming and will profit by selling advertising during that time, which will likely make CBS money in the late-night slot.

10 TV Episodes So Controversial They Were Banned

The Twilight Zone Season 5, Episode 31 “The Encounter”

“The Encounter” is a particularly disturbing episode of The Twilight Zone, even for that show’s standards. It was so unsettling, dealing with difficult themes of racial conflict and the lingering effects of World War II, that it was removed from television after its initial broadcast in 1964 – a unique fate for any Twilight Zone installment. Despite this, “The Encounter” is actually a well-made episode, directly addressing the anxieties felt by both Americans and Japanese people after the war. It centers on a white American man and a young Japanese man (played by George Takei) who become trapped in an attic with a cursed sword that amplifies their existing tensions, forcing both to confront their own guilt and anger related to the war. CBS ultimately stopped showing the episode due to viewer complaints about the white man’s repeated use of offensive language and the generally negative portrayal of both characters.

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, Episode 8 “Miri”

Like the original Star Trek, many episodes tackled difficult moral questions, and some of the best ones focused on these issues. For example, the episode “Miri” features the Enterprise crew discovering a planet inhabited solely by children, who are the only people left after a virus wipes out anyone who reaches puberty. As the children’s numbers decrease, Captain Kirk and his team try to find a cure, but the wary children hinder their efforts, and the crew almost falls victim to the disease before Dr. McCoy finds a solution just in time. This episode caused controversy and was banned by the BBC after viewers complained. For decades, the BBC refused to air it – or episodes like “Plato’s Stepchildren” and “The Empath” – believing the content was too disturbing for children.

Beavis and Butt-head Season 3, Episode 4 “Incognito”

It’s no surprise that a recent episode of Beavis and Butt-Head caused controversy. In the episode, Beavis and Butt-Head disrupt class by throwing things until they upset a classmate named Earl, who threatens them with a gun. The next day, they try to avoid Earl at school, but their confrontation is interrupted when a stray bullet comes through the window. The teacher takes Earl’s gun, and he surprisingly thanks Beavis and Butt-Head for not accusing him of firing the shot. Considering the increased awareness and sensitivity surrounding gun violence and school shootings, this unusual episode hasn’t been aired or released on DVD or Blu-ray since its original broadcast.

The X-Files Season 4, Episode 2 “Home”

Often considered the most disturbing episode of The X-Files, “Home” centers around Mulder and Scully investigating a possible infanticide. They discover a deeply unsettling situation: three brothers living with their immobile mother, who was presumed dead after a car accident, and concealing the birth of severely deformed children born from years of inbreeding. Writers Glen Morgan and James Wong, returning to the show, intentionally aimed to shock viewers – the story was even partially inspired by an event in Charlie Chaplin’s life. Due to its graphic and disturbing content, “Home” received a TV-MA rating and was only aired once on Fox after its initial broadcast, on Halloween in 1999.

Pokémon Season 1, Episode 38 “Computer Warrior Porygon”

Another well-known banned episode involves a Pokémon broadcast that caused health problems for many viewers. Hundreds of children experienced seizures, and over 600 people required hospital treatment after watching scenes with rapidly flashing lights. The episode featured Ash and his friends battling Team Rocket with a Pokémon named Porygon while investigating a problem at a Pokémon Center. The flashing lights occurred when Pikachu destroyed digital missiles, preventing them from reaching the real world. This event, known as the “Pokémon Shock,” led to the episode being removed from broadcast and it was never aired in countries outside of Japan. As a result, it’s only known by its original Japanese title: “Dennō Senshi Porygon.”

Dexter’s Laboratory Season 2 “Rude Removal”

Okay, so I finally got around to watching the infamous lost episode of Dexter’s Laboratory, “Rude Removal,” and wow, it’s easy to see why Cartoon Network shelved it for fifteen years. Seriously, from the opening title card – Rude Dexter mooning the audience and Rude Dee Dee flipping the bird – you get a sense of the chaos. The episode features these alternate versions of Dexter and Dee Dee who just run wild, and while Cartoon Network heavily bleeped out the profanity, it was apparently still too much for them. They didn’t want to expose viewers, even to suggested bad language. It’s a pretty wild piece of animation history, and it eventually surfaced online in 2013 thanks to Adult Swim.

South Park Season 5, Episode 3 “Super Best Friends”

Everyone knows South Park is famous for its edgy humor, but sometimes it goes too far. While many episodes have been considered controversial, “Super Best Friends” stands out. This episode featured depictions of religious figures, including the Prophet Muhammad, which is sensitive for many reasons. Surprisingly, it didn’t cause much of a stir when it first aired – it is South Park, and the episode was also a commentary on media censorship. However, about ten years later, some Muslim groups protested the reappearance of Muhammad’s image in later episodes, leading South Park Studios to remove “Super Best Friends” from its website.

Peppa Pig Season 1, Episode 47 “Mister Skinnylegs”

Did you know an episode of Peppa Pig was banned? It might sound surprising, but it happened! The episode, called “Mister Skinnylegs,” wasn’t banned for anything serious like being offensive or violent. Instead, it caused controversy because of spiders. The episode teaches children not to fear spiders, which is a good lesson… everywhere except Australia. Australia has many dangerous spiders, so they didn’t want to encourage kids to think spiders are friendly. As a result, Australian television banned both “Mister Skinnylegs” and another episode called “Spider Web” from being shown.

Hannibal Season 1, Episode 4 “Oeuf”

The TV show Hannibal frequently featured graphic violence, but the episode “Oeuf” was particularly disturbing. It centered on kidnapped boys who were manipulated into killing their birth families to create bonds with new ones. Just before it was scheduled to air, creator Bryan Fuller asked the network to postpone it. While many initially believed this was due to the Boston Marathon bombing that had occurred a week earlier, Fuller later revealed the decision stemmed from the recent Sandy Hook school shooting, which was still deeply affecting the nation. Though pulled from broadcast, NBC released clips online, and the full episode later became available on Amazon Prime and on DVD/Blu-ray.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 9, Episode 9 “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6”

While It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia never approves of what its terrible characters do, the show often goes further than expected. A prime example is the episode “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6,” where the gang tries to get investors for a terrible homemade sequel after Frank withdraws funding. The footage is shockingly offensive, including scenes with actors in blackface. Following increased awareness of racism in Hollywood in 2020, this episode, along with others from Always Sunny and Community, was removed from streaming services. The show later acknowledged the incident in the episode “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 7.”

2026-04-06 21:28