CBS abruptly announced it would be canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—the network’s highest-rated late-night program—and retiring the “Late Show” brand altogether by May 2026. But just hours later, fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel delivered a gut-punch of his own: a scorching seven-word Instagram story that instantly went viral.

“Love you Stephen. F— you and all your Sheldons, CBS.”

The comment, simultaneously emotional and brutal, wasn’t just a nod of solidarity with Colbert. It was a declaration of war. And for many across the entertainment industry and beyond, it echoed a deeper concern: Was this just business, or was CBS bending under political pressure?

Stephen Colbert revealed the news to his audience during a taping earlier that Thursday, confirming that The Late Show would end its run next spring. Colbert, visibly emotional but composed, delivered the update as part of his nightly monologue.

“This is a purely financial decision amid a difficult late-night landscape. It has nothing to do with the show’s performance, content, or any external political factors.”