Byron Allen pushes back on the Daily Beast’s rating-dip story about Comics Unleashed after replacing Stephen Colbert, arguing the decline is being overstated and highlighting CBS’s cost-cutting time-buy deal that shifts the slot toward profit. Nielsen data still shows The Late Show outperforming rivals in the same timeslot, while Allen touts wins in select markets and frames the arrangement as a strategic financial move rather than a failure.
Since Stephen Colbert’s departure, CBS’s replacement Comics Unleashed has slumped, drawing 628,000 total viewers and 82,000 in the 18-49 demo, down 65% from Colbert’s final year in the same slot, while ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s Tonight Show gained viewers. Kimmel led the 11:35 p.m. hour with 2.185 million total viewers (295k in 18-49), up 53% in total viewers and 178% in the demo year over year; Fallon’s Tonight Show rose to 1.301 million total and 194k demo (+10% and +14%, respectively). CBS’s time-buy arrangement with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed means the network shifts an hour that was losing about $40 million annually into about $15 million in profit, a roughly $55 million swing, mitigating immediate concerns about the ratings gap. The CBS shift to the time-buy model follows The Late Show’s cancellation for financial reasons, and while Colbert’s exit created a clear ratings gap, CBS is positioning the model as the key to a more sustainable late-night economics despite the near-term viewership drop.
CBS says the time-buy deal with Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group turns a $40 million annual loss for The Late Show into about $15 million in profit, a $55 million swing, as Allen pays for the slot, covers production, and sells his own ads; early ratings for Comics Unleashed hovered around 1.1 million, well below Colbert’s finale, fueling ongoing speculation about political motives behind the show’s ouster.
CBS says its 11:35 time-buy with Byron Allen turns what it calls a roughly $40 million annual loss for The Late Show into about $15 million in profit, a $55 million swing, but the figures hinge on what is counted—whether only production costs against national ads or broader value like affiliate fees and local revenue. The article notes that Comics Unleashed’ (Allen’s show) performs far below Colbert’s ratings, raising questions about whether the savings justify the move, since ratings still influence affiliates, advertisers, and downstream viewing habits. Nielsen updates show Colbert’s finale drew strong total viewers while Comics Unleashed posted modest demo numbers, underscoring the ongoing tension between ratings and the economics of modern late-night.
CBS says it will net about $55 million by canceling Stephen Colbert’s Late Show and leasing the timeslot to Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed for a flat $15 million, arguing the move cuts a $40 million annual loss and avoids reliance on performance-based ad revenue; Colbert’s final run drew more viewers than Allen’s show, which debuted at about 1 million. The piece also covers Trump-supported events prompting artist defections from the Freedom 250 State Fair, Ronny Chieng’s blunt Harvard AI critique, and ABC’s early FCC renewal filing amid DEI scrutiny, with Disney arguing the move threatens free and independent journalism.
CBS disclosed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert loses about $40 million per year, and that Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed operates under a 'time buy' in which Allen pays CBS about $15 million annually to lease the 11:30 PM hour and sell the ads himself, a structure CBS says turned the hour from a loss into a profit (a roughly $55 million swing). The revelation comes amid ongoing debate over Colbert's cancellation and the successor's early ratings; Comics Unleashed drew about 878,000 viewers across two half-hours, far below Colbert's finale's 6.74 million, underscoring the challenges in late-night television.
CBS says its late-night hour will turn a $15 million profit thanks to Byron Allen’s time-buy of the former Late Show slot, with Allen covering production costs and selling advertising; the move comes as Comics Unleashed debuts to about 1.1 million viewers and aligns with Allen’s broader strategy, including BuzzFeed acquisition and plans to expand into free-streaming video, audio and AI-driven content.
Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed premiered in the 11:35 pm Late Show slot after Stephen Colbert’s finale, drawing 995,000 total viewers and 116,000 in 18–49—a roughly 85% drop from Colbert’s final episode (which drew over 6.7 million)—and well below Fallon and Kimmel; Allen says he’s not trying to replace Colbert and emphasizes the show’s own audience and local-market performance.
Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed kicked off its CBS 11:35 p.m. run with a panel-only Live+Same Day average of 995,000 total viewers (116,000 in 18–49) for the first half-hour, then 600,000 total (55,000 in 18–49) in the second half-hour. Compared to Stephen Colbert’s finale (6.7 million total, 1.1 million 18–49), the debut was down about 85% in total viewers and 95% in the 18–49 demo. National numbers also trailed Fallon and Kimmel, though Allen’s camp touts stronger local-market performances in many markets. The show’s low-cost, pay-for-time model and delayed-viewing data later this week will influence how its ratings are viewed long term, amid broader late-night scheduling quirks and overrun-adjusted airings.
Byron Allen says he isn’t trying to replace Stephen Colbert as Comics Unleashed takes over the 11:35 p.m. slot with a politics-free, joke-focused format; CBS and Paramount have not issued restrictions, and Allen emphasizes the show has its own audience built over 20 years. He praises Colbert as an American treasure and notes there’s no plan to target Colbert’s audience, stressing the goal of uniting viewers through comedy after Colbert’s final episode on May 21. Comics Unleashed airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.
This week brings premieres like Spider-Noir (Prime Video/MGM+) with Nicolas Cage, Deli Boys season 2 (Hulu), The Four Seasons season 2 (Netflix), and Star City (Apple TV), plus ongoing recaps; it also spotlights a major late-night shakeup as Comics Unleashed takes over CBS’s Late Show slot and Stephen Colbert’s finale prompts discussion on the future of late-night TV.
Byron Allen is leasing CBS's 11:35 p.m. slot to air Comics Unleashed—a panel show designed not to offend—marking a Carson-era nod as CBS shifts away from Colbert’s late-night format.
CBS has released the first guest lineup for Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed in the 11:35 p.m. slot, signaling continuity with the show's familiar format rather than a star-driven reboot; the premiere night features Hannah Dickinson, Mark Smalls, Lance Woods, and Joe Sib, with a rotating roster of working comics throughout the week, and the program will continue its half-hour new episode followed by a repeat, under Allen Media Group’s time-buy deal with CBS.
CBS is canceling The Late Show and replacing it with Comics Unleashed, Byron Allen’s long-running syndicated panel show funded by ad buys, signaling a shift away from traditional network late-night. The piece traces Allen’s career, the show’s production model and history, and frames Stephen Colbert’s farewell as emblematic of a changing TV landscape where late-night persists in new forms rather than in a conventional network slot.
Byron Allen will lease CBS’s 11:35 p.m. slot for 16 months to move Comics Unleashed into Colbert’s time, with Allen selling the ads and CBS receiving a profitability guarantee. He says he isn’t trying to replace Colbert and highlights the deal as a springboard for his broader media ambitions, including BuzzFeed, HuffPost, Tasty, and the Weather Channel, plus AI initiatives. He emphasizes non-political, joke-focused content and cross-promotion between his properties to grow audiences and revenue.
