BREAKING: Over 200,000 people have signed a petition slamming CBS for canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The sudden cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by CBS has sparked national outrage, prompting over 200,000 people to sign a petition calling out the network for what many are calling a politically motivated decision.

The backlash comes just days after Colbert criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, for paying former President Donald Trump a $16 million settlement, a move he described on air as “a big, fat bribe.”

Now, CBS is facing intense public scrutiny and accusations of silencing a powerful voice in American political discourse.

The situation began to unfold after Colbert’s sharp monologue last Monday, during which he addressed Paramount’s unusual settlement with Trump.

The payment, tied to a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.

Many viewed it as an act of appeasement toward Trump at a time when Paramount is seeking federal approval from the FCC—a commission overseen by the president—for a high-stakes merger with Skydance Media valued at $8 billion.

Colbert’s criticism was direct and unapologetic.

“I believe this kind of complicated financial settlement with a sitting government official has a technical name in legal circles: it’s a big, fat bribe,” he told his audience, highlighting concerns over ethics, corporate influence, and political favoritism.

Within days, CBS announced that The Late Show would be cancelled, citing “purely financial reasons” and insisting that the decision had “nothing to do with the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

That explanation did little to calm critics.

The online petition, which has gained momentum across social media platforms, accuses CBS of bending to political pressure and undermining free speech.

“CBS’s decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s show looks blatantly political,” the petition states.

It references Jon Stewart, who used his own platform to condemn the move, describing it as part of “the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America’s institutions at this very moment.”

Stewart added that institutions like CBS “have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of the Trump White House,” and warned that “this is not the moment to give in.”

The petition’s organizers are urging the public to act quickly and loudly.

“To save Stephen Colbert’s voice in our national debate, CBS needs to see public pushback RIGHT AWAY,” it reads.

Supporters argue that only a strong, immediate backlash will force CBS to reconsider its actions and demonstrate that viewers won’t tolerate corporate censorship driven by political considerations.

Critics also point out the timing of the cancellation, which came amid a volatile political climate and during an election season when voices like Colbert’s are considered crucial for holding power to account.

With Colbert’s show consistently ranking among the top late-night programs, many see the “financial” rationale offered by CBS as implausible, if not intentionally misleading.

The suspicion is that the network sought to appease Trump—or avoid further conflict—given the financial and regulatory stakes surrounding the Paramount-Skydance merger.

This controversy highlights a broader concern among Americans about the integrity of the institutions they once trusted.

For many, Colbert’s cancellation represents not just the silencing of a comedian, but a disturbing sign of how corporate interests and political pressure can shape public discourse.

In an era marked by deep political divisions and increasing threats to journalistic independence, the decision by CBS has ignited fears that dissenting voices are being deliberately removed from the national conversation.

Whether CBS will reverse course remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the public response is far from quiet.

If the petition is any indication, many Americans are unwilling to sit back and accept what they view as an attack on free speech.

For now, the pressure continues to mount, and CBS may soon be forced to answer not just to shareholders—but to a public demanding transparency, accountability, and the return of a voice they’re not ready to lose.