Colbert Mocks Paramount While Accepting Award for Confronting Injustice

The comedian honored his late-night writing staff and took a shot at his bosses at Paramount during a speech at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Stephen Colbert received the Walter Bernstein Award at the Writers Guild of America Awards' New York ceremony, where he honored his late-night writing staff and took a jab at Paramount over the cancellation of "The Late Show." Colbert pointed out that the Hollywood blacklist "was not a government policy," but was a "voluntary, industry-wide agreement to deny work to left-leaning artists out of fear that certain members of the government might publicly attack the parent corporation of these artists or the union they belong to." He added that he does "not deserve the implied parallel" between himself and Bernstein, noting that "this is not the 1950s, this is not the red scare, and as far as I can tell, no one in late night is fomenting a revolution."

Why it matters

Colbert's remarks highlight the ongoing tensions between creative talent and corporate interests in the entertainment industry, particularly as it relates to political content and the potential consequences for speaking out against injustice. The cancellation of "The Late Show" has been a controversial decision, with critics alleging that Paramount was motivated by politics and a desire to appease President Donald Trump.

The details

Colbert's speech at the Writers Guild of America Awards came almost eight months after CBS, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, controversially canceled his "Late Show." Critics alleged Paramount was motivated by politics and a desire to appease President Donald Trump to help facilitate a merger with Skydance that required government approval. The company maintained the move was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," unrelated to the content of Colbert's show. The final episode of "The Late Show" will air in May.

  • Colbert's speech took place on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Writers Guild of America Awards' New York ceremony.
  • The cancellation of "The Late Show" happened almost eight months prior to Colbert's speech.

The players

Stephen Colbert

The comedian who received the Walter Bernstein Award at the Writers Guild of America Awards for confronting social injustice.

Paramount

The parent company of CBS, which controversially canceled Colbert's "Late Show" last year.

Walter Bernstein

The screenwriter who was blacklisted by Hollywood in the 1950s for his communist beliefs, and after whom the award Colbert received is named.

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What they’re saying

“This is not the 1950s, this is not the red scare, and as far as I can tell, no one in late night is fomenting a revolution.”

— Stephen Colbert (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert)

“Stephen, I know you love your staff, and I know how badly you feel for them. I hope you also know that they wouldn't want you to be anything less than the decent and brave soul that you are.”

— Robert Smigel, Presenter of the Walter Bernstein Award (Writers Guild of America Awards)

What’s next

The final episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is scheduled to air in May 2026.

The takeaway

Colbert's speech at the Writers Guild of America Awards highlights the ongoing tensions between creative talent and corporate interests in the entertainment industry, particularly as it relates to political content and the potential consequences for speaking out against injustice. The cancellation of "The Late Show" has been a controversial decision, with critics alleging that Paramount was motivated by politics and a desire to appease President Donald Trump.