This is quite the spectacle.
In a twist that could have been ripped from the script of a late-night comedy show itself, the cancellation news of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has paradoxically catapulted its viewership numbers. Yet, astonishingly, even this uptick hasn’t enabled Colbert to surpass the formidable ratings of Greg Gutfeld.
Among those on the left—including some Congressional members—there’s a burgeoning conspiracy theory positing that Colbert’s show was axed due to its critical stance towards President Trump. However, the stark reality is that The Late Show has been hemorrhaging approximately $40 million annually for CBS. Even with a recent surge in attention, Colbert remains outpaced in the ratings race.
Mediaite provides an illuminating overview:
Colbert’s Ratings Spike After Cancellation News, But Fox’s Gutfeld Leaves Him in the Dust with Major Gains
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld continues to shine in the ratings arena, even as Stephen Colbert’s show experienced a notable bump following the cancellation announcement. Colbert’s Late Show saw viewership spike to 2.4 million just days after the news broke, yet this is still a far cry from Gutfeld’s impressive 3.1 million viewers. For the year, Colbert has averaged around 1.9 million viewers overall, while Gutfeld has consistently maintained higher numbers, averaging 3.1 million and nearly 400,000 in the critical 25-54 demographic.
Despite Colbert’s 11% increase in overall viewers and 4% in the key demo following the cancellation revelation, Gutfeld’s dominance remains unchallenged.
Further scrutiny reveals that Colbert’s guest roster has frequently leaned heavily to the left, featuring an array of Democrat politicians and progressive journalists.
Stephen Colbert had left-wing journalists, hosts on ‘The Late Show’ more than 200 times https://t.co/QsqEUJWNir pic.twitter.com/DG93sbNZLH
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) July 24, 2025
It’s rather straightforward to discern why Gutfeld garners more viewers; his program is fundamentally about humor and levity. In contrast, Colbert’s offering can often resemble a monotonous left-wing lecture, night after night. Who, one might wonder, would choose to tune in for that?
