Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed to Replace The Late Show on CBS

CBS will replace The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed starting May 22, 2026. Paramount, the parent company of CBS, announced the change on April 6, 2026, following the decision to cancel Colbert’s program for financial reasons.

Stephen Colbert’s final broadcast of The Late Show is scheduled for May 21, 2026. Beginning the following day, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen will move into the 11:35 p.m. ET time slot. The network will then air a two-hour comedy block, featuring back-to-back half-hour episodes of Allen’s programming.

Following Comics Unleashed, the comedy game show Funny You Should Ask will take over the 12:35 a.m. ET slot. Hosted by Jon Kelley, the series premiered in 2017 and features comedians answering questions and cracking jokes to assist contestants in winning money. Like Comics Unleashed, Funny You Should Ask will air in back-to-back 30-minute episodes.

Financial Structure of the Broadcast Deal

The transition involves a specific business arrangement between CBS and the Allen Media Group. According to reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, Byron Allen is buying the time from the network to air the two shows. Under the terms of the deal, Allen Media Group is responsible for selling the available advertising spots.

This structure ensures that CBS will see a profit regardless of the viewership performance of the programs. The network previously aired Comics Unleashed in a later time slot during the current season and during the writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023.

Programming and Format

Comics Unleashed is described as a hybrid between a late-night talk show and a comedy showcase. The program utilizes a roundtable format where Byron Allen sets up a group of comedians on specific topics to elicit jokes. The show originally debuted in syndication in 2006.

Allen has used the platform to feature various comedians early in their careers, including Roy Wood Jr. And Kevin Hart. In a statement regarding the move to CBS, Allen discussed the original intent behind the show’s creation.

I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh… because the world can never have enough laughter.

Byron Allen

Allen had previously expressed a strong interest in securing the late-night time slot. In October 2025, he told Variety that he had been waiting 50 years for such an opportunity, stating, If they are looking for a show, my hand is already up and definitely I am going for it.

Byron Allen’s Media Background

Byron Allen’s career began as a teenage stand-up comedian. He made his television debut in 1979 as a comedian on The Tonight Show while Johnny Carson was hosting and also gained early visibility on NBC’s Real People.

In 1993, Allen founded the Allen Media Group, originally known as Entertainment Studios, starting the business in his dining room. He entered the syndication market using a barter business model, which provided content to networks for free in exchange for half of the advertising inventory. This strategy allowed him to build a portfolio of approximately 70 television shows.

Allen expanded his media holdings significantly in 2018 by acquiring The Weather Channel for $300 million. Reflecting on his transition from performing to ownership, Allen has stated that he viewed his trajectory not as show business, but as business show, noting that he always focused on the business side of the industry.