b1.BREAKING LATE-NIGHT: U.S. late-night TV is in turmoil after news that CBS will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026. From there, social media erupted with a story spreading at lightning speed: Colbert is “declaring war” on CBS, and a late-night “alliance” is rumored to be forming.
the spark: “you can’t silence truth with contracts”
why this rumor caught fire so fast
hollywood “panic”: what that really looks like in real time
the “ad-free empire” fantasy—and why it feels believable
the colbert question: is this a polite ending—or a pivot?
the alliance names: why fallon, meyers, and oliver keep getting pulled in
what viewers are really cheering for
so… rumor or reality?
