Comedy made a comeback that week. Hard.
What I mean is that media analysts like myself started to question when federal regulators approved the $8 billion merger between Hollywood powerhouse Paramount and Skydance on Thursday.
The clearance occurred around one week after CBS, which is owned by Paramount, declared that it was discontinuing The Late Show. Stephen Colbert, a comedian who has not held back in his criticism of President Trump and his administration, presently hosts the show. Many curious minds questioned whether actions to silence a well-known and outspoken critic of the president would have aided in the transaction.
However, this past week showed that Colbert’s cancellation, which won’t occur until his contract expires in May 2026, won’t have the effect of suppressing political criticism in other parts of Paramount’s media empire.
Last Monday, while anchoring The Daily Show on Comedy Central, owned by Paramount, Jon Stewart got things started. After questioning CBS’s claim that Colbert’s cancellation was “purely a financial decision,” he delivered a scathing monologue in which he joined a gospel choir to sing “go f yourself” to media companies, law firms, universities, and other organizations that might censor themselves to appease the police.
“The shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those shows,” Stewart fiercely stated. “That’s what made you that money.”
The true surprise, however, was when South Park, another Comedy Central program, debuted the first episode of its 27th season on Wednesday. There are many reasons to be happy about working with Paramount, as the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, just finished difficult talks to reach a five-year, $1.5-billion contract over new episodes and streaming rights.
Those who have followed Stone and Parker’s history of disobedience over the years can probably imagine what transpired next. In their season premiere, “Sermon on the Mount,” they satirized a number of topics, including the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States, the demonization of woke ideology, Trump’s use of lawsuits to intimidate critics, the termination of Colbert by Paramount, and much more.
They even made fun of NPR clichés while bringing up Congress’ recent decision to revoke previously authorized public media funding. One of the fan characters referred to the network as “the funniest show ever, where all the lesbians and Jews complain about stuff.” which, I must say, made me laugh a little.)
I wasn’t shocked by the backlash on South Park, but I was surprised by how harsh the jabs were. Parker and Stone claimed that their presentation of several scenarios mocking the president’s anatomy caused some controversy with Comedy Central officials. They also showed an animated Trump proposing Satan in bed and Jesus Christ warning a crowd about the risk of a president who could sue them.
From a show business perspective, this was a perfect example of South Park doing what it does best—that is, challenging the status quo. Parker and Stone are aware that the firm has already spent a significant amount of money to continue doing business with them, and their followers probably won’t forgive them for thinking that the money from a major event would make their satirical skills less sharp.
The fact that a show’s first new episode in its 27th season contains scathing jabs about one of the most important tales in show industry doesn’t harm either. The enormous ratings the episode is expected to receive will probably allay any resentment at Paramount or Comedy Central, giving the impression that South Park is still current and worth the money the firm is investing. Nicely done.
Last week, in addition to all of this, Colbert added his own monologues to the discussion. A few moments later, he fulfilled his promise that “for the next 10 months, the gloves are off” while making a joke about Trump’s response to his cancellation.
“I really adore that Colbert got fired,” Colbert wrote, mimicking the president’s tone: “Donald Trump posted on Friday. His ratings were significantly lower than his talent. Dare you, sir? Could a man without talent write the following satirical witticism? “Go f*** yourself.”
Colbert attacked reporting that said his show lost between $40 and $50 million in a year, citing unnamed sources, and implied that he doesn’t fully trust CBS’ claim that his cancelation was merely a financial choice in that Monday’s monologue and the other ones he gave last week.
Last week, David Letterman, the former host of The Late Show, also offered his thoughts.In a video with former Late Show producer Barbara Gaines, Letterman referred to CBS’ decision to fire Colbert as “pure cowardice” and questioned whether it was solely a financial decision. When he hosted late-night shows, Letterman notably argued with management at both CBS and NBC. He claimed that the network “did not handle Stephen Colbert, the face of that network, in the way he deserves.”
This week, I believe we learned that comedians and satirists can respond to perceived or actual corporate pressure in a more dramatic and direct manner, letting fans know right away that they won’t be frightened.
Staff members at news organizations under similar pressure may have to wait for the next high-profile story to demonstrate their independence.Following the resignation of two CBS News executives due to difficulties surrounding Paramount’s $16 million lawsuit settlement with President Trump, 60 Minutes continues to confront public suspicion.
However, satirists and comedians such as Stewart, Colbert, Parker, and Stone can take the stage while everyone is looking to make their points. They are well aware that if their shows are canceled, they will require devoted fans who appreciate their opinions to follow them wherever they go next.
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