Stephen Colbert’s late-night show may have been axed, but it’s still making major headlines.
The TV host’s former late-night series enjoyed a major triumph at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, arriving months after the program ended its decade-long run on television.
Colbert said goodbye after the final episode aired on May 21. This came after the network decided to pull the plug on the show, citing financial reasons.
5Four months after airing its final episode, “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” made headlines at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The host, who spent 11 years helming the program, left with a bang, as his final season received nine Emmy nominations.
The series secured several major awards, including Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series against strong contenders like “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.”
The program also swept multiple technical categories, earning trophies for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming, Outstanding Lighting Design, and Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork.
The Daily Mail confirmed that directing honors went to the series as well, while the companion digital program “Colbert Before Air” claimed the award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series.
The impressive collection of victories marked a powerful send-off for the franchise, which signed off from CBS back in May following the network’s choice to discontinue the late-night brand.
Stephen Colbert’s Final On-Air Gag Triggered An Unexpected Financial Agreement For CBS
5Following the show’s final broadcast and its subsequent award victories, one of the host’s parting antics ended up creating real financial ripple effects for the network.
During the May 21 series finale, Colbert staged a humorous bit centered on copyright enforcement. As the presenter discussed legal disputes surrounding famous holiday tunes, his musical director Louis Cato and the resident ensemble began performing the iconic “Peanuts” theme.
Playing along with the spontaneous moment, Colbert teased his employers on air, expressing mock concern over whether the unapproved musical performance would result in unexpected costs for the company.
This unexpectedly turned into an official business matter after the episode aired. The entity managing the composer’s catalog confirmed that a formal agreement was required to cover the broadcast rights.
CBS ultimately entered into a resolution to clear the usage, turning the broadcast joke into a binding settlement, per The Blast.
David Letterman Aired His Feelings On CBS’ Decision To End Stephen Colbert’s Late-Night Series
5Roughly a month before the network had to deal with the ripple effects of Colbert’s gag, former franchise host Letterman voiced strong disapproval over the decision to discontinue the late-night program.
The television veteran, who originally established the late-night program in 1993 before handing over host duties in 2015, made a return to the historic theater to support his successor.
Speaking out about the network’s choice to terminate the franchise, Letterman publicly criticized corporate executives, labeling the sudden strategy a massive blunder that hurts broadcast culture.
“Kind of makes me sad,” he said, as reported by The Blast.
Summing up his reaction to the host’s abrupt departure, Letterman reaffirmed his firm stance on the network’s choice, saying, “I think it’s too bad that Stephen is gone. I think it’s a huge mistake.”
Trump Celebrated The End Of Stephen Colbert’s Late-Night Franchise
5While prominent figures like Letterman lamented the program’s conclusion, Colbert’s political adversary Donald Trump publicly celebrated the official sign-off on social media.
He expressed enthusiasm online following the final television broadcast of the long-running series, taking to his personal platform to share scathing commentary about the host. The public exchange capped over a decade of mutual criticism between the politician and the comedian, who frequently targeted each other in public statements and monologues.
Following the May 21 sign-off, the leader posted an early-morning message mocking the broadcaster’s departure.
“Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long,” he wrote, as reported by The Blast.
Stephen Colbert’s Daughter, Madeleine Carlisle, Also Parted Ways With CBS
5Following Colbert’s exit, tensions further heightened within the network as his daughter, Madeleine Carlisle, reportedly resigned from her role at CBS News.
According to The Blast, the former host’s daughter stepped away from her position as an associate producer for the long-running news program “60 Minutes” following four years behind the scenes.
Her reported departure came during a period of heavy turnover for the news division following a major newsroom restructuring earlier this year.
The network experienced significant staff departures in May during a day referred to internally as “Black Thursday.” The somber day reportedly saw several prominent correspondents and executive editors leave their positions during an unexpected shake-up.
