In a striking display of dramatic hyperbole, MSNBC contributor Molly Jong-Fast recently characterized the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show as “really scary.” This comment, made during a segment on the network, raises eyebrows—after all, TV shows are frequently canceled, especially when they bleed tens of millions of dollars annually.
Jong-Fast took her analysis a step further, likening the situation to the infamous McCarthy anti-communism hearings, a comparison that many might find perplexing. The two circumstances are worlds apart, yet her earnestness in drawing parallels suggests a deep-seated concern for what she perceives as a slippery slope toward censorship.
“And even if it’s not quid pro quo, the idea of self-censorship. And I talk about my grandfather, Howard Fast, who was jailed by McCarthy during The House UN-American Activities, that our government has done this before, that history is very much filled with moments like this.”
For those interested, a clip of her remarks is available below:
MSNBC’s @MollyJongFast: Canceling Colbert isn’t funny, it’s “very scary”
“And even if it’s not quid pro quo, the idea of self-censorship. And I talk about my grandfather, Howard Fast, who was jailed by McCarthy during The House UN-American Activities, that our government… pic.twitter.com/NJKSTfMy2p
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) July 21, 2025
The online response to Jong-Fast’s comments was swift and sharp:
Colbert is an unfunny partisan hack who ran off 75% of the Late Show audience.
He literally killed the Late Show!
Unpopular TV shows get canceled all the time.
This has nothing to do with free speech. The free market chose to watch something else.
— Gary P Jackson #Conservative (@gary4205) July 22, 2025
Just look at the prison Colbert has been sent to. Very scary indeed. This is the end of Democracy! pic.twitter.com/ywWN1zGYlc
— Stuck (@StuckInMiddleU) July 21, 2025
Is MSNBC making a profit? Then why are they still on the air? They exist to advance political narratives…
— KeithH (@kch50014) July 21, 2025
One must wonder if Jong-Fast has reflected on the past few years, during which many on the left seemed content to silence dissenting voices. Now, however, she raises alarms over free speech in the context of a financially failing show. It’s crucial to remember that the cancellation of Colbert’s show isn’t a free speech issue; it’s a market-driven decision, prompted by a staggering loss of $40 million a year. In the end, perhaps the real lesson here is that in the world of entertainment, as in economics, the audience’s preferences reign supreme.
