Stephen Colbert’s surprise public access spot sparks short-lived CBS copyright fray

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Stephen Colbert caused a brief stir at CBS and its parent company, Paramount, with a popular video released shortly after his final late-night show appearance.

Stephen Colbert, 62, made a surprise return to television on Friday with a special episode of the local public access show “Only in Monroe” in Michigan. The hour-long parody program featured guests and playfully criticized Paramount’s growing power in the media industry. Colbert, who previously hosted the show once before, opened the episode with a joke about his brief time off air, saying, “It’s been a painful 23 hours without being on TV, and I’m thankful to be back on local access before Paramount buys us all up.”

As reported by the Associated Press, a special episode of Stephen Colbert’s show, titled “Only in Monroe,” aired in southeast Michigan and was also uploaded to his official YouTube channel. The unexpected broadcast quickly spread online, with many people sharing the full episode or short clips on social media. Journalist Matthew Keys, founder of The Desk, posted a link to the episode on X (formerly Twitter) and received a copyright claim from Paramount Global, which he called unnecessary.

Television

After eleven years hosting his CBS late-night show, the popular comedian signed off with a star-studded finale featuring guests like Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds, and Paul McCartney.

CBS explained that the “Only in Monroe” episode was made by CBS Studios and shared on Stephen Colbert’s YouTube channel in partnership with Monroe Community Media and “The Late Show” channel. The network stated it routinely issues copyright claims against websites that share its content without permission, but they are now reversing their action in this specific case.

We’ve decided to temporarily stop enforcing this common industry practice while we review it further, according to a recent statement.

CBS and Stephen Colbert’s representatives didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Times on Tuesday.

Stephen Colbert’s guests on Friday’s show were Michelle Baumann and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson, hosts of the web series “Only in Monroe,” along with Emmy-winning actors Jeff Daniels and Steve Buscemi. Rapper Eminem joined the show remotely via video call, and Jack White, of The White Stripes, also made an appearance. The show concluded in a dramatic fashion when Colbert, Daniels, and White used hammers to dismantle parts of the set and then set it on fire.

Colbert explained he wanted to get rid of the set, saying, “It’s good timing because I really feel like breaking something right now.”

Voices

Commentary: Stephen Colbert was the perfect unprecedented host for unprecedented times

When Stephen Colbert took over ‘The Late Show’ in 2015, many thought it was an unexpected pick, but he’s proven to be exactly what the show needed.

I’m really sad to hear that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is ending after 11 amazing seasons and over 1,800 episodes! It’s hard to believe he took over from David Letterman back in 2015, and now it’s coming to a close in July 2025. Apparently, CBS says it’s just a financial decision, because late-night TV is a tough business these days, but it’s still a big loss for fans like me.

Cheeks clarified that the issue had absolutely nothing to do with the show itself, its content, or anything else happening at Paramount.

CBS and Stephen Colbert have ended their working relationship following a $16 million legal settlement with Donald Trump. This news comes as Paramount was seeking government approval for an $8 billion acquisition by Skydance Media, a company led by David Ellison. Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, is a tech billionaire, co-founder of Oracle, and a supporter of Donald Trump.

Stephen Colbert finished his run on CBS’s “Late Show” Thursday night with a star-studded lineup of guests, including Paul Rudd, Bryan Cranston, Tim Meadows, Ryan Reynolds, and even Paul McCartney. The show’s time slot now belongs to Byron Allen’s comedy show, “Comics Unleashed.”

Hollywood Inc.

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In Hollywood, image is everything. And David Ellison has an image problem

Honestly, I’m really worried about this deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. It’s not just the huge amount of money – $111 billion is massive! – but also the fact that Ellison is so closely connected to Trump. A lot of people in Hollywood are concerned about what this means for the future, and it’s making everyone pretty anxious.

I was really surprised to hear that Stephen Colbert is going to co-write a new “Lord of the Rings” movie with his son, Peter McGee! He just announced it in March. It’s exciting to think that even though he’s leaving late night, this project might actually keep him working with Paramount, which is where his show was, of course.

The upcoming “Lord of the Rings” movies, including the one led by Stephen Colbert, will be made by New Line Cinema and its owner, Warner Bros. Discovery. Meanwhile, David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance is trying to buy Warner Bros. Discovery – and everything it owns – for $111 billion.

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2026-05-27 01:01