Stephen Colbert made a pointed and very public statement during a surprise appearance on CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, taking aim at his own network months after the cancellation of his long-running talk show.
Colbert was one of several guests who popped up during the live broadcast hosted by Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. The two hosts spent much of the night taking shots with guests, leaning fully into the loose and chaotic energy that has made the program a New Year’s staple.
Calling in shortly after Cooper shared a bizarre dream, Colbert wasted little time before landing another jab at CBS. As Cohen, 57, and Cooper, 58, laughed their way through the segment and appeared increasingly tipsy, Cohen asked Colbert what the biggest lesson of 2025 had been for him.
Colbert’s answer was blunt: “Don’t trust billionaires.” The comment drew immediate attention, especially given the circumstances surrounding the end of The Late Show. The moment came after Colbert joked that it wouldn’t be a proper New Year’s celebration without Cohen and Cooper, prompting another round of shots.
Colbert continued to needle the hosts when Cohen asked him to reflect on a “pinch me” moment from his time on late-night television. “Every December, when Anderson and Andy come on to promote CNN’s rockin’ eve or whatever you call this clown show I’m watching right now,” Colbert replied.
The remarks arrive months after Colbert announced on air that his show would be ending. In July 2025, he told viewers, “Before we start the show, I want to let you know something that I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending ‘The Late Show’ in May.”
“It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away,” he added. CBS said at the time that the decision was “purely financial,” a claim Colbert has openly questioned ever since, particularly after his on-air criticism of a settlement between Paramount and Donald Trump.
Not long after the cancellation news, the FCC approved a deal allowing Skydance to acquire Paramount, placing billionaire Larry Ellison in control. Colbert’s New Year’s Eve comments made clear that, even off CBS and a few drinks in, he’s not done speaking his mind.
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