Late-night television bid farewell to Stephen Colbert on Thursday as CBS aired the final episode of The Late Show. On WMAL, host Derek Hunter discussed the exit with David Bozell, president of the Media Research Center (MRC), the organization that tracked and documented the show’s sharp leftward turn for years.
Bozell noted the irony of MRC’s viewership: “There are dozens of us, dozens... That’s us, the MRC Watchdogs. We’re the only guys watching them.”
Hunter asked whether Colbert, Donald Trump, or broader cultural shifts killed late night. Bozell pointed to a mix of factors but placed significant blame on Colbert’s tone:
“Colbert was bitter. Colbert was mean. He just got more and more left wing, more and more bitter, angry, and when you’re trying to be funny, it just doesn’t translate.”
Colbert was bitter and mean. His personal attacks on Trump were out of control.@DavidBozell and @derekahunter discuss Colbert's cancellation and how Late Night comedy can see a revival pic.twitter.com/YFM33d941g
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) May 21, 2026
Bozell said The Late Show might have survived in the digital age if Colbert had brought on guests with wider audience appeal. Instead, Colbert doubled down, even as CBS gave him a lengthy runway to exit.
The only thing that really motivated Colbert was being loved by his present day television peers.@DavidBozell analyzes the downfall of Stephen Colbert with @derekahunter pic.twitter.com/wqTycRJFpp
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) May 21, 2026
Here's the full interview.
