David Letterman Slams CBS Over Stephen Colbert‘s “Late Show” Cancellation: “Hiding behind Money”

David Letterman, the iconic former host of CBS’s “Late Show,” has voiced his strong disapproval of the network’s decision to cancel the program, suggesting that the move is a misdirection and that the network is “hiding behind money.” Letterman’s candid remarks,made in a video addressing former “Late Show” producers Barbara Gaines and co-host Mary Barclay,point to a larger pattern of perceived journalistic integrity issues within CBS,specifically referencing the $20 million settlement paid by “60 Minutes.”

“You’re telling me 60 Minutes the pinnacle of journalistic excellence and integrity for decades … they decided, ‘Aw, we’re sorry, let us give you $20 million.’ I believe this is in the wake of that,” Letterman stated, drawing a parallel between the “Late Show” cancellation and the “60 Minutes” payout. This sentiment echoes Letterman’s earlier criticisms, which he highlighted with a montage of clips from his own tenure, humorously poking fun at CBS.

Letterman described the “Late Show” cancellation as “sad” and questioned the network’s financial justifications. “The idea that they’re hiding behind money – they’ve given [Colbert] another 10 months, that’s another huge chunk of money they’re gonna lose, according to them,” he elaborated. “I don’t think it was money… If they were losing that kind of money – you’re telling me losing this kind of money happened yesterday? I bet they were losing this money a month ago or six weeks ago.Or they were never losing that kind of money.They did not handle Stephen Colbert, the face of that network, in the way he deserves.”

The late-night community and the broader television-watching public have largely rallied behind Stephen Colbert in the wake of the “Late Show” cancellation. Letterman sees this support as a silver lining for Colbert,noting,”for Stephen,I love this,because he gets to be a martyr.” His comments suggest a belief that the network’s decision was not solely driven by financial concerns but perhaps by a deeper, unstated reason, and that Colbert, a prominent figure on the network, was not treated with the respect he warranted.