Colbert replacement Byron Allen reveals what 'Late Show' host texted him

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAYFri, May 15, 2026 at 8:36 PM UTC

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There's nothing but goodwill between Stephen Colbert and Byron Allen, no matter whose show is airing late nights on CBS.

Colbert's CBS talk show "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is ending Thursday, May 21, and on Friday, May 22, the 11:35 p.m. time slot on the network will feature "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen" instead.

Although Colbert, 62, is not leaving his show willingly, he has no hard feelings for Allen and "Unleashed," a comedy panel show that focuses more on stand-up and comedians cracking jokes on the couch, rather than celebrity guests or musical performances. And Allen, a veteran comedian and owner of the Allen Media Group, feels the same way.

"He's so gracious. He texted me," Allen, 65, tells USA TODAY, noting the two actually got breakfast this past fall on Sept. 14, the day of the Emmy Awards. "We started breakfast at 10 a.m. and it went into lunch. And we shared our love of comedy and talk shows and Johnny Carson. And he sent me a wonderful text. He said, 'Congratulations.'"

Comedian and media mogul Byron Allen on the set of his show "Comics Unleashed," soon to be at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

Allen campaigned heavily to have "Comics Unleashed" take over the 11:35 timeslot (it currently airs at 12:35 on CBS and has been in syndication for nearly 20 years), but he will miss Colbert's nightly voice, like so many viewers and fans.

"He is a wonderful human being. He is a really good guy. He's a beautiful soul," Allen says. "And I think he's an American treasure. I hope that he continues to come into our homes. He deserves to be there, and I think he's great. I think the world of him."

Stephen Colbert breaks silence on replacement

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published May 6, Colbert reacted to news that "Comics Unleashed" will take over his time slot on CBS immediately after "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" ends later this month.

"God bless him. I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He's fascinating. You know his history with Carson?" Colbert told the outlet, referring to the fact that Allen became the youngest comic to perform on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" when he was 18.

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"Anyway, when I found out, I wrote him the next morning and I said, 'Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you. Wouldn't it be lovely if you could drop Mr. Carson a note?'" Colbert joked.

Carson, who hosted "The Tonight Show" from 1962 to 1992, died in 2005.

Byron Allen to replace 'Late Show' amid changing TV backdrop

CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in July, describing the move as a "financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night." In April, the network confirmed Colbert's time slot will be filled by "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen." The show, which began in 2006, features a rotating series of comedians performing their material in a panel format.

CBS is leasing the time slot to Allen, which is an appealing business model for the network because he covers the production costs entirely. In April, Paramount TV Media chair George Cheeks told reporters CBS is still developing other late-night ideas, but the one-year deal with Allen allows the network "to go into immediate profitability in that slot," according to Variety.

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In addition to inheriting Colbert's time slot, the media mogul has recently acquired a "majority stake" in BuzzFeed and will become its next chairman and CEO.

According to a news release from BuzzFeed, Inc., Allen Family Digital, an affiliate of Allen's family office, is set to acquire 40 million shares of the digital media company for $120 million by the end of the month.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen Colbert replacement – Byron Allen speaks out

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