The firing of “comedian” Stephen Colbert by CBS had the liberal ladies of ABC’s The View in a tizzy, as they finally got around to discussing it on Tuesday. Of course, co-host Sunny Hostin poured on the incendiary rhetoric, suggesting that his firing (with a 10-month ramp) “is the dismantling of our Constitution.” She also seemed to hint at political violence as a possible answer.
Despite admitting that the reason Colbert was fired and the show canceled “could be financial,” Hostin wanted people to heavily lean toward it being “purely political.”
“Because it's very clear that if it is political, this is the dismantling of our democracy. This is the dismantling of our Constitution,” she declared. “That means the very rubric of our democracy is being dismantled. And I think every single person should be really, really concerned about it.”
Hostin added that she was “thrilled” that her favorite far-left senators were demanding politically motivated investigations into CBS for their decision. Things turned ominous when she questioned: “if we find out it is political, what are we going to do as a country?! We must protect our Constitution and we must protect our democracy! This is bigger than just the cancellation of a television show!”
Previously, Hostin seemingly called Democrats to carry out acts of political violence when she whined that they were not willing to “fight and die” for their cause. She also made excuses for the assassination of healthcare executive Brian Thompson.
In contrast, co-host Sara Haines actually put weight to the numbers that supported that the firing and cancelation was due to financial failures of the show, pointing out that Colbert had lost $40 million:
Advertising has dropped by 40 percent since 2018 as ad revenue moves to digital content and nontraditional media. So, the fact that [Reuters] reported that that 40 million number is floating around here. Even when you take Stephen Colbert out of the 20 million, where do you come up with the other 20 million?
Hostin’s reaction was to boast that Colbert’s show brought in $60 million in ad revenue, but omitting that it cost CBS $100 million to produce the show:
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was estimated to have earned $59.9 million in ad revenue. It is down two percent year-over-year, but it's still almost $60 million. And so, the suggestion the suggestion that it was purely financial; given those numbers just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Yes Sunny, your argument doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Joining Hostin in her hysterical pearl clutching was “comedian” and co-host Joy Behar. She warned that “all bets are off” for the future of free speech in America now that “King” Trump was “coming for the comedians.”
“And this guy has the skin thinner than, you know, than I don't know than this card. He was insulted by Obama at the correspondent’s dinner that time and he’s such a vengeful guy that he went after Obama after that. He cannot take a joke and that's what these guys are doing,” she screeched.
As for moderator Whoopi Goldberg’s take, she had a feeling that Colbert’s show wasn’t really going anywhere. Goldberg was cryptic about it though; saying she didn’t want to say it on-air lest she “give the other side the power of over what I'm thinking.”
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
July 22, 2025
11:05:53 a.m. Eastern(…)
JOY BEHAR: You know, it's always been the role of the court jester to make fun of the king. That is the role of comedians. I have said on this show, I think I said it years ago when they start coming for the comedian, all bets are off, because the king is supposed to take – he's supposed to take the hits. And this guy has the skin thinner than, you know, than I don't know than this card. He was insulted by Obama at the correspondent’s dinner that time and he’s such a vengeful guy that he went after Obama after that. He cannot take a joke and that's what these guys are doing.
(…)
11:07:34 a.m. Eastern
SUNNY HOSTIN: It could be financial. And I don't know that it's purely political. It could be. But my concern is, if it is political, then everyone should be concerned. People on the right should be concerned. People on the left should be concerned.
Because it's very clear that if it is political, this is the dismantling of our democracy. This is the dismantling of our Constitution. Right?
[Applause]
And so, the First Amendment is the First Amendment for a reason and that is freedom of the press, freedom of speech. Freedom to speak truth to power. If that is taken away, if the comedians are being attacked, then that means our Constitution is being dismantled.
BEHAR: That's right.
HOSTIN: That means the very rubric of our democracy is being dismantled. And I think every single person should be really, really concerned about it.
I'm thrilled that Senator Warren, Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders is asking Skydance, is asking for answers whether or not this was political. The Writers Guild is actually asking the attorney general to look into this situation to find out if it was political. And if we find out it is political, what are we going to do as a country?! We must protect our Constitution and we must protect our democracy! This is bigger than just the cancellation of a television show!
(…)
11:09:32 a.m. Eastern
SARA HAINES: Linear TV is going to be a niche option in 2029. That's not that far off right now so as you watch the ad revenue, it dropped.
BEHAR: What did you call it, linear TV?
HAINES: Linear TV.
BEHAR: Is that what we're on?
HAINES: Yes.
[Laughter]
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: But we're on streaming, Hulu and Disney+!
HAINES: That’s why I’m saying I got nothing to hide here, guys!
[Laughter]
In 2018 – Advertising has dropped by 40 percent since 2018 as ad revenue moves to digital content and nontraditional media. So, the fact that they are -- CBS and Reuters
[Crosstalk]
Not CBS, not CBS, Reuters requested -- reported that that 40 million number is floating around here. Even when you take Stephen Colbert out of the 20 million, where do you come up with the other 20 million? And when you asked about ‘I wonder if he was given a chance,’ this is not reported. I heard rumblings that he was defending his staff over the years, which I deeply respect because it's only a matter of time and you can only protect everyone for so long.
But it's a show of over 200 people. And when they come to you and you're the one single face of a show, you do have a limited powerful moment to say, ‘I'm not letting you get rid of my staff.’ And so I even respect him more if that is the case.
(…)
11:11:15 a.m. Eastern
HOSTIN: Can I just add something about the money, the numbers here, because we're talking about the $40 million and a lot of people are reporting that it was the advertising revenues went down. But if you look at the estimates Edo Ad Engage, late night broadcast TV shows took in $150 million over the 12-month period from July 21st, 2024 to July 20, 2025. That's up six percent. Up six percent.
HAINES: Not if the show cost most than that.
HOSTIN: Not down. And so, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was estimated to have earned $59.9 million in ad revenue. It is down two percent year-over-year, but it's still almost $60 million. And so, the suggestion –
[Crosstalk]
HOSTIN: - the suggestion that it was purely financial; given those numbers just doesn't make a lot of sense.
(…)
