A Loyal Ally Speaks Out

In the wake of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s announced end date, acclaimed musician Jon Batiste — Colbert’s former bandleader and creative partner — has spoken up for his longtime friend. And in doing so, he’s hinted that Colbert’s next chapter may already be taking shape.

Batiste, who shared the stage with Colbert from the show’s launch in 2015 until his departure in 2022, told Rolling Stone Australia:

“I’m very grateful to him and I think where he goes next, his voice won’t be silenced. The voice of free speech is challenged, but the soul of an individual cannot be cancelled. He’s gonna find another megaphone, another outlet, I’m sure of it. I’m rooting for him.”

The message was clear: whatever CBS’s decision means for The Late Show, Colbert isn’t going anywhere quietly.

The Corporate Earthquake Behind the Curtain

The cancellation announcement came last month, sending shockwaves through late-night television. CBS revealed the show will end in May 2026 — just days after Colbert openly slammed Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for paying Donald Trump $16 million to help secure its $8 billion merger with Skydance.

Colbert didn’t mince words, calling it a “big fat bribe” on air — a rare direct hit at his own bosses.

Batiste called Colbert’s firing “a symptom of big money,” warning that “the right price can silence the voice of free speech.” He urged artists to “constantly fight” to share their truth.

A Partnership That Defined an Era

Batiste, who won the 2021 Grammy for Album of the Year (We Are) and an Oscar for scoring Disney-Pixar’s Soul, described his years with Colbert as formative.

“Spending my twenties on national TV meant so much,” the 38-year-old reflected. “I was able to evolve as an artist in partnership with Stephen.”

It was a creative bond that not only reshaped late-night television but also pushed political comedy into sharper, more confrontational territory.

Trump’s Gloating and Colbert’s Counterpunch

If there was any doubt about the political backdrop of Colbert’s exit, Donald Trump’s reaction sealed it. On Truth Social, the former president celebrated the show’s demise, even falsely claiming credit for the decision — before accusing Colbert of “a pure lack of TALENT” and blaming him for $50 million in annual losses for CBS.

Colbert, unsurprisingly, didn’t back down. Far from being silenced, he has doubled down on his political satire. Last week, he introduced a new character — the “spoiled baby emperor” Widdle Pwince Vance, a send-up of the vice president — and mocked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for cutting $500 million in mRNA research, calling it “bad news for fans of living.”

And in a moment of unfiltered fury, Colbert aimed straight at the political establishment:

“We have 10 more months of this show and I want to give a measured, nonpartisan response here… F— you, you ’roid-addled nepo-carnie!”

Batiste’s Own Big Year

As for Batiste, he’s not retreating from the spotlight either. His new album Big Money is set to drop later this month, marking a bold new era in his own career.

But his comments about Colbert hint at a shared fight — one where art, politics, and corporate power collide. If Colbert’s next platform offers him true creative freedom, Batiste’s words might have been the first public clue.

The Road Ahead

CBS’s decision has been framed as a business move, but the fallout is shaping up like a battle for the soul of political comedy. Will Colbert find a new home — perhaps in the streaming arena alongside other ex-network heavyweights?

Jon Batiste seems to think so. And if his friend does return, it won’t be with a whisper. It will be with the same sharp-edged humor, fearless political critique, and unfiltered voice that made him a late-night force.

For now, the countdown to The Late Show’s final broadcast is ticking — but the drama is only just beginning.