Stephen Colbert is all about good vibes as he hands over the reins of his late-night throne.
After a wild ride of 11 seasons on “The Late Show,” CBS pulled the plug last summer, leaving Colbert to prepare for his final bow next Thursday. The network has decided to hand the coveted 11:35 p.m. slot to Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed.”
In a candid chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Colbert didn’t hold back, saying simply, “God bless him.”
“I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He’s fascinating,” Colbert shared, throwing some serious respect Allen’s way, especially given his history with the legendary Johnny Carson, who ruled “The Tonight Show” from 1962 to 1992.
“I said, ‘Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you,’” Colbert recounted. “‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could drop Mr. Carson a note?’”
Allen’s journey kicked off in 1979 when he became the youngest comedian ever to grace “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” just days before tossing his cap at high school graduation.
Fast forward to today, and Allen has built a media powerhouse with the Allen Media Group, which he founded in 1993, launching multiple 24-hour HD networks that are shaking up the industry.
According to insiders, Allen had his eyes set on the 11:35 p.m. slot ever since CBS announced its plans to end Colbert’s reign.
“If they’re looking for a show, my hand is already up,” Allen declared during New York’s Advertising Week last October. “Fifty years, I’ve been waiting for this moment. Definitely, I’m going for it. … I’m investing millions and millions of dollars to prove myself at 12:35.”
CBS sealed the deal with Allen in April, granting him the full hour for back-to-back episodes of “Comics Unleashed” from Monday to Friday. Plus, he’ll keep the following hour as his comedy game show “Funny You Should Ask” shifts its schedule.
“I created and launched ‘Comics Unleashed’ 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen stated at the time. “I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of ‘Comics Unleashed’ and ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ because the world can never have enough laughter.”
Once Colbert wraps up his final show on May 21, Allen will officially take over the “Late Show” slot.
Colbert revealed to THR that he still has one dream guest he hopes to snag before signing off this month: “The pope is my white whale,” he joked, referring to Pope Leo XIV.
As for his legacy in late-night television? Colbert has one simple wish: to be remembered as a comedy show.
“We harvest laughter for a living, and ultimately that’s the thing I want more than anything else,” he concluded. “I just want to make the audience laugh.”
In a twist of fate, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti announced Monday evening that Allen Family Digital, led by Byron Allen, is acquiring a majority stake in BuzzFeed, HuffPost’s parent company.
