As Roseanne Rosanna Danna used to say, “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.”
For several weeks, the Epstein files have dominated political headlines. Now we have the Stephen Colbert scandal to add to the mix. Neither episode has done the current administration any favors—yet neither was imposed upon them. These are issues largely born out of the Trump era itself.
CBS claims that canceling Colbert was a purely financial decision—one they deeply regret having to make. I believe them. It really is about money. If the deal for Skydance to purchase Paramount goes through, Shari Redstone stands to walk away over $2 billion richer, safely cemented in the billionaire class. The Ellison family will acquire a trove of valuable media assets to add to their growing media conglomerate, operating under the Skydance banner.
The financial structure is complex and has taken years to negotiate. The only remaining obstacle is approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)—a supposedly independent agency, historically free from direct presidential influence. But that was before the current administration.
David Ellison met with the SEC Chair on July 15, 2025, to discuss the proposed acquisition and push for approval. While no final decision has been announced, it certainly appears that sacrificing Colbert was the price Ellison had to pay. Will we ever know for sure? Probably not. Paramount and Skydance will trot out all the usual data: the decline of late-night viewership, shifting audience habits, and the rise of streaming platforms. Trump, of course, will claim to know nothing about any of it—then pivot to dismiss Colbert as a loser, adorned with his familiar string of petty, humiliating adjectives.
Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel have long shared a vast national audience. With sharp wit, keen insight, and real comedic talent, they’ve exposed the absurdities—and outright crimes—of our political system in ways that entertain and inform millions. The Obama and Biden administrations took it with good humor. Trump cannot. For him, they are unbearable. How dare they make him look like a fool?
And yet, their work is protected by the Constitution’s First Amendment. Still, the merger requiring SEC approval isn’t about the First Amendment. It’s about money. Getting rid of Colbert had nothing to do with free speech—it was just the cost of getting the deal done. Paramount also owns Comedy Central and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Don’t be surprised if Trump finds a way to raise the price of approval again.
What a nasty turn this has taken for the administration—that it should become such a widely discussed and deeply resented issue. What will the companies holding the fates of other late-night hosts decide? They could stand in defense of the First Amendment, even if it costs them. But let’s be honest: corporations are not people. They are legal entities, devoid of intrinsic ethics or morality. Corporate courage exists only in the character of top executives and major shareholders.
Experience teaches us that their single-minded focus on profit, returns, and personal enrichment leaves little room for patriotic principle. There are exceptions, of course. We can hope for them. We can even encourage them. But keep expectations low.