“Everything I built was torn apart by the people I trusted most” – Stephen Colbert’s WAR with his own network explodes after Late Night cancellation, friends warn he’s spiraling into self-destruction while he defiantly refuses to walk away from the fight

Stephen Colbert is no longer holding back. After his Late Night show was axed, the comedian has gone on the offensive, lashing out at the very network that once made him a household name. His friends are pleading with him to cool down before he torches his entire career, but Colbert is convinced he’s the victim of betrayal at the highest level. Now the whispers have grown louder: has Colbert crossed a line he can never come back from? And how far is he willing to go to prove his point, even if it costs him his legacy?

The full story peels back the curtain on the explosive fallout between Colbert and his network bosses. You won’t believe how messy this battle has already become.

Stephen Colbert won’t quit publicly attacking his employers in the wake of his Late Night show being axed — but friends are urging the comic to take a chill pill because he’s making himself look totally toxic and could be harming his future prospects, sources say.

“When his show was first canceled, people were on his side. His fellow late-night talk show hosts were backing him, and colleagues were cheering him on for sticking up for himself, but he’s doubling down too aggressively — and now support is waning,” an insider warns.

As Globe previously reported, CBS announced The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026 — with sources saying the move was purely a financial decision.

ABC / NBC

The cancellation was shocking to some because even with declining viewership, The Late Show is still beating out rivals Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

But others blamed the axing on the show’s criticism of CBS parent company Paramount’s merger with Skydance.

Colbert, however, didn’t win any brownie points by coming down on his bosses in his latest scathing monologue, sources say.

The emcee told his audience, “I’m thrilled for everyone at Paramount that the deal went through and very excited for our newly announced official combined Paramount-Skydance stock ticker name, which will go from PARA to PSKY.

CBS

“Soon, PSKY will blast hot streaming content right in your face.”

Colbert, 61, continued, “With hits like Yellowstone, Yellowjackets and a full variety of water sports, I predict PSKY will become synonymous with number one. PSKY, a pitcher of warm entertainment.”

The insider chides, “The feeling is he’s going off a ledge, and it’s not a smart move. At some point, Colbert’s going to be looking for the next job — if he hasn’t started looking already — and who will hire him when he does? Nobody likes a sore loser, especially one who badmouths his bosses.

“People are seeing a bitter, twisted side to him, and they don’t like it. He’s taking serious risks, but he can’t seem to quit, and the fear is it’s going to cost him dearly.”