CBS and Paramount won't limit access to Colbert talk show spoof, for now : NPR
NPR • • entertainment
Key Points:
- CBS and Paramount initially issued copyright notices to limit reposting of Stephen Colbert's parody episode of Michigan public access show "Only In Monroe," but have since decided to waive further enforcement pending review.
- The parody, posted by Colbert shortly after his departure from "The Late Show," went viral due to its deadpan humor and featured guests like Jack White and Jeff Daniels.
- CBS stated the episode was financed and produced by CBS Studios and authorized for distribution on only three YouTube channels, but acknowledged the widespread reposting on social media.
- Colbert's cancellation of "The Late Show" in July 2025 was described as a financial decision amid Paramount's $8.4 billion merger approval process with Skydance Media.
- Byron Allen, whose show replaced Colbert's timeslot, praised Colbert as "an American treasure" but indicated his own program would avoid the political comedy that characterized Colbert's tenure.