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Colbert's Late Show Earns Nine Emmy Nods as Series Ends

7/9/2026

Summary

Colbert Nominated

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (host) received nine Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Variety Series.
The nominations also cover eight technical and creative categories.
CBS aired the series finale on May 21, ending the 33-year franchise, and cited financial reasons despite solid ratings for the cancellation.
Final voting runs Aug. 17-26, with winners announced at the Sept. 14 Primetime Emmys on NBC.

Summary

Trump Cancels Shows

President Donald Trump called for the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live, calling them “untalented.”
Disney/ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live for several days in September 2026 after Jimmy Kimmel's inaccurate remark about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin.
Jimmy Kimmel responded by installing Los Angeles billboards urging viewers to vote for Stephen Colbert in the Emmy contest.
Both hosts remain on Trump’s “enemies list” as the merged Emmy category approaches.

History

Historical Context

In the mid-1970s NBC secured Johnny Carson with a contract paying about $4 million annually, the highest TV host salary and generating roughly 17 % of NBC’s pretax profit. The 1972 move to Burbank and the 1980 shift to a one-hour show gave NBC a lucrative late-night stronghold, now under political pressure as Donald Trump attacks Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, prompting the three major networks to rethink budgets.

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Colbert Nominated

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (host) received nine Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Variety Series.
The nominations also cover eight technical and creative categories.
CBS aired the series finale on May 21, ending the 33-year franchise, and cited financial reasons despite solid ratings for the cancellation.
Final voting runs Aug. 17-26, with winners announced at the Sept. 14 Primetime Emmys on NBC.

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