Byron Allen confirmed that Comics Unleashed will take over the 11:35 p.m. time slot on CBS beginning May 22, 2026, effectively replacing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. This transition coincides with Byron Allen acquiring a 52% stake in BuzzFeed to bolster cross-promotion for the program.
Reaction in the podcasting space has been measured but watchful regarding the future of late-night television. On The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God acknowledged the move, stating, "Byron Allen's, um, Comics Unleashed will take over the time slot, and that'll start on May 22nd. So congratulations to Byron Allen. And I think that there's still room in that late night space, I just think it has to look different now."
While the industry consensus is still forming, the pivot to a stand-up focused format in the traditional Stephen Colbert slot suggests a definitive break from the monologue-heavy era. Whether the BuzzFeed integration provides the necessary digital bridge for a legacy broadcast audience remains the primary point of contention for analysts heading into the May 22nd launch.
