Colbert Launches New YouTube Series After Late Show While CBS Releases Public Access Episode

Stephen Colbert has hinted at his next step now that The Late Show has ended on CBS. Simultaneously, CBS confirmed its involvement in the May 22 Michigan public‑access special that aired the day after the network’s long‑running late‑night franchise concluded.

A wave of online criticism erupted this weekend after CBS Studios, owned by David Ellison, issued takedown notices aimed at curbing viewership of the low‑budget “Only in Monroe” episode that Colbert presented in Michigan the day after his final (and highly watched) Late Show broadcast.

CBS did issue takedown notices earlier today, but it has no intention of suppressing “Only in Monroe.” In fact, CBS funded the production.

As a business, CBS sought to protect its assets from unauthorized distribution until it grew weary of the situation.

According to a CBS spokesperson, the “Only in Monroe” episode featuring Stephen Colbert was financed and produced by CBS Studios and posted on Colbert’s YouTube channel in partnership with Monroe Community Media and The Late Show’s YouTube channels. The network noted its usual practice of issuing copyright notices to sites that host its content, but for this episode it chose to suspend enforcement pending further review.

In effect, CBS issued a defiant response to critics after months of criticism—much of it directed at Colbert himself—for the decline of the Late Show franchise last year. Questions now arise as to whether Colbert was dismissed in July 2025 due to the high cost of maintaining the late‑night format, and whether he was given a year to depart after publicly mocking CBS and Donald Trump regarding the $16 million settlement that resolved a questionable 60 Minutes lawsuit.

Regardless of speculation about Colbert’s next moves—aside from writing a Lord of the Rings screenplay—the evidence suggests his next venture will unfold online.

To date, the sole video on Colbert’s newly launched personal YouTube channel is the “Only in Monroe” episode, but it is likely just the beginning as he joins other comedians and creators in leveraging YouTube’s extensive audience.

YouTube’s reach now exceeds that of traditional network television and streaming services.

Additionally, with agreements such as securing the rights to broadcast the Oscars beginning in 2029, the Google‑owned platform aims to expand its lineup by featuring top talent from the small screen.

Backed by Ellison’s CBS funding and hosted on Colbert’s channel, “Only in Monroe” exemplifies strategic timing and execution, serving both as a reset and a continuation.

The one‑hour special starring Jack White, Eminem, Steve Buscemi and Jeff Daniels, a nod to Colbert’s September 2015 Michigan public‑access appearance, has amassed 409,000 views in the past two days. Although Colbert’s channel now has 80,500 subscribers, this remains modest compared with the viewership generated by other sites that CBS sought to have removed.

In a recent segment of “Only in Monroe,” Colbert explained his presence and made a pointed remark about Paramount, which is poised to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a transaction expedited by the Trump administration and valued at $111 billion. He said, “Since my last appearance in Monroe, Michigan, I served as the primary host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS, which ended last night.” He added, “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on television, so I’m grateful to be here with Monroe Community Media before they too are acquired by Paramount.”

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