Stephen Colbertveteran talk show host known for his sharp wit and willingness to challenge those in power, receives wide support from Hollywood’s biggest names as ‘The Late Show’ ends its 11-year run. Many of Colbert’s celebrity supporters are applauding the broadcaster for exercising his First Amendment late at night on CBS, even if it cost him his position on the network.The First Amendment Committee, a collective of artists who stand up for “free speech against repression, industry complicity and intimidation,” is reportedly creating a video compilation featuring its esteemed members ahead of Colbert’s final show on May 21. Each member takes a line from the group’s dispatch message.
Celebrities Pay Tribute to Stephen Colbert’s Courage on ‘Late Show’
“He called out CBS for paying Trump. CBS canceled his show,” ‘West Side Story’ actress Ariana DeBose begins in the video tribute. “For more than a decade on ‘The Late Show,’ Stephen has used humor to bring us joy while holding power accountable,” continues the ‘Community’ actor. Yvette Nicole Brown.“He made us laugh, and he never flinched,” added Jane Fonda, founder of the First Amendment Commission. Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo says he misses Colbert, but even more, “I’m bummed that he’s leaving.”As the actress Sally Field has stated, “authoritarians must suppress those voices, the voices of the people.” According to the committee, Colbert is not the first to suffer the consequences of speaking freely. “Jimmy Kimmel canceled it. NPR funded it. AP, ‘The View,’ and now ‘The Wall Street Journal’ sued, threatened, pressured,” they said in the video.
Politicians unite in tributes to Stephen Colbert
In the hours leading up to Colbert’s 1800th and final show, politicians also joined the conversation. “There aren’t many people who can make people think and laugh at the same time,” former President Joe Biden wrote in an Instagram post. “For years, Stephen has brought intelligence, heart and honesty to late-night television. America can always be with a laugh and a sometimes needed reality check.”Hillary Clinton, a three-time ‘Late Show’ guest, highlighted Colbert’s “reflection, empathy and humility” in her Instagram tribute to “his great intelligence.” “Here’s to a next chapter as bright as the last,” he wrote.
The committee vows to follow through Colbert’s legacy
As the late-night host exits after 11 years on air, a panel of actors, directors, comedians and journalists vows “Stephen has held the torch so high.” “You stood up bravely, even though it cost you something,” the video concludes. “That courage is contagious. And we won’t stop fighting.”CBS said Colbert’s cancellation was “purely a financial decision,” although the timing and circumstances surrounding the show’s end sparked a significant conversation about free speech and corporate responsibility in the media.
