Stephen Colbert gets the last laugh on CBS

Key Points:

• Former President Donald Trump prematurely celebrated Stephen Colbert’s departure from CBS by posting an AI-generated video depicting Colbert being thrown into a dumpster, accompanied by disparaging remarks on Truth Social.
• Less than 24 hours after ending his CBS late-night run, Colbert reappeared on the community access show “Only in Monroe,” delivering a viral, irreverent, and anti-corporate performance featuring several celebrity guests.
• Paramount and CBS responded by issuing mass copyright takedowns of online reuploads, claiming routine intellectual property enforcement, despite the episode lacking corporate branding and Colbert’s critical tone toward the network.
• Following public backlash, CBS announced it would “waive further enforcement” of copyright claims, revealing tensions between corporate control and creative independence amid ongoing political and ideological shifts at the network.
• Colbert’s final CBS episode attracted his highest viewership in years, and the controversial “Only in Monroe” appearance went viral, illustrating a Streisand effect where attempts to suppress content only increased its visibility.