On Wednesday, Bruce Springsteen made a powerful appearance on Stephen Colbert’s second-to-last episode of “The Late Show,” immediately taking aim at his longstanding adversary, President Trump, and CBS’s parent company, Paramount Skydance.
Springsteen wasted no time in expressing his support for Colbert, declaring, “I’m here in support tonight for Stephen, because you’re the first guy in America who’s lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke.” He further criticized the leadership at Paramount, adding, “And uh, because Larry and David Ellison feel they need to kiss his ass to get what they want.”
The 76-year-old music icon then delivered a performance of “Streets of Minneapolis,” a song he released in January as a response to Trump’s immigration policies. The track honors Alex Pretti and Renee Good, anti-ICE protesters who were killed during immigration enforcement actions in the city.
President Trump, who often criticizes both Colbert and Springsteen, has not yet commented on the performance.
Colbert’s tenure on “The Late Show,” which has spanned nearly 11 years with over 1,800 episodes since he succeeded David Letterman in 2015, will conclude on Thursday.
In August 2025, CBS’s parent company, Paramount, was acquired by Skydance in a complicated $8.4 billion deal. Following the merger, David Ellison, previously CEO of Skydance Media, took the helm as CEO of the new entity, Paramount Skydance.
The acquisition occurred shortly after CBS announced plans to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The network has consistently stated that financial considerations, specifically the show’s $40 million annual loss, were the primary reason for its cancellation, dismissing any political motivations.
However, critics, including David Letterman and fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, have expressed doubts about the stated reasoning, especially in light of Paramount’s efforts to secure regulatory approval for the Skydance merger.
Trump has openly celebrated the cancellation of Colbert’s show, previously labeling him a “pathetic trainwreck, with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success” on Truth Social late last year.
