NPR
CBS and its parent company, Paramount, have opted to retract their attempts to limit the reposting of Stephen Colbert's parody appearance on a Michigan public access show, titled "Only In Monroe." Colbert shared this hour-long mock performance shortly after his departure from "The Late Show," where he served as host for nearly 11 years.
During the broadcast, Colbert humorously remarked, "It's been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV. So I am grateful to be here on Monroe Community Media, before they also get acquired by Paramount."
The deadpan segment, which featured musician Jack White as an equally stoic sidekick, quickly garnered significant attention and went viral. It was widely shared across platforms like YouTube and social media, prompting CBS to initially respond with copyright infringement notices.
"Paramount is apparently trying to suppress copies of 'Only in Monroe' from appearing on other social platforms by filing frivolous copyright notices," noted long-time media journalist Matthew Keys on X.
In a statement provided to NPR, CBS clarified that Colbert's "Only In Monroe" episode had been "financed and produced by CBS studios" and was intended for distribution solely on three specific YouTube channels: The Late Show, Monroe Community Media, and Colbert's personal channel.
"As is our regular practice, we send copyright notices to unauthorized websites that post copyrighted content from CBS and our network/studio talent such as Stephen Colbert," the statement explained. "However, for this episode, [we] have decided to waive further enforcement of this standard industry practice until additional review."
CBS's decision to cancel Colbert's highly-rated late-night show in July 2025 was framed as a financial move. This action coincided with Paramount Global's efforts to secure the Trump administration's approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Colbert, known for his vocal criticism of President Trump, concluded his tenure as host of "The Late Show" with a star-studded lineup that included icons like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney.
His role on "Only In Monroe" was particularly notable for its humorous juxtaposition, as Colbert transitioned from a leading position in the television industry to a modest local TV setup. The show featured discussions about bigfoot sightings in Michigan, alongside actor Jeff Daniels making sandwiches and sharing the town's community calendar.
At one juncture in the "Monroe" episode, Colbert made a phone call to Byron Allen, host of "Comics Unleashed," a program that has since taken over the slot previously occupied by The Late Show. Allen responded with an enthusiastic, "Is Stephen Colbert the best or what?"
In an interview with NPR's Newsmakers podcast, Allen described Colbert as "an American treasure," while indicating that his own show would not delve into the political satire that characterized the Colbert-hosted era.
"Not everybody's gonna love me," Allen remarked. "But there is that one or two percent that would be like 'hell yeah, I'm rolling with you,' and I learned that at an early age, and by the way, that simple lesson made me a billionaire."
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