Stephen Colbert got fired from CBS, so he jokingly set the network up for a huge lawsuit on his way out

There is nothing quite like the specific, chaotic energy of a television host with absolutely nothing left to lose. During the final episode of "The Late Show," this exact energy was on full display. Host Stephen Colbert, who was saying goodbye to the legacy he built over nearly a decade on CBS, went all out. In a clip from the show, posted by Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) on X, which aired on May 21, 2026, Colbert was seen allowing his band to play licensed music, potentially exposing the network to significant legal repercussions. The video has since gone viral, garnering almost 1.1 million views.

Colbert wasn't holding back 

Well, the moment in question occurred during the 'Meanwhile' segment of the show, where Colbert takes up recent news and explains it in his own sarcastic tone. It was then that he started talking about the 'Peanuts' music owner, who recently sued the U.S. government and 3 other companies over the illegal use of his iconic songs. "Peanuts is a powerful brand and corporation in and of itself. Anyone illegally using that music is going to have to pay through the nose," he said.

However, as soon as he finished his sentence, his band leader, Louis Cato, started playing the exact music that could get CBS in trouble. Colbert didn't stop just there, as he proceeded to sarcastically ask Cato whether this was the exact music or not. "Oh no, I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money!" he concluded jokingly.

A farewell packed with old-school mischief

Although this was quite the jab for his employer, who decided to cut him, this wasn't the only shot he took during the 80 minutes of the final episode. Even in the days leading up to this finale, he teamed up with David Letterman, from whom he inherited the show back in September 2015.

Colbert invited Letterman to enjoy the best bits of his time on the network. As a result, the duo, along with a team of crew members, proceeded to perform a destruction of CBS property, tossing chairs, couches, and watermelons off the roof of the Ed Sullivan building, not just on the pavement below it or on a target, but rather on the CBS logo, which they completely ripped apart in a matter of minutes. Of course, these couple of instances point toward a rift between Colbert and the network, even though they deny it. 

A beloved late-night show

As a matter of fact, according to the latest data released by Nielsen Live+7 for Q1, The Late Show was not just amongst the most watched shows within the 11:35 p.m. time slot but the most watched show across the country, with its 40 first-run episodes averaging a staggering 2.70 million viewers. This was closely followed by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! with approximately 2.53 million viewers. 

Meanwhile, the fans remained divided in the comments of this post. @ValeThana noted, "He is going to cost the network MILLIONS in royalties. And he smiled through the whole thing. This is the GREATEST exit in television history." Meanwhile, in contrast, @LVpolitic commented, "Everyone knows that this is all pre-recorded and CBS would air it if it really was going to cost this millions, right?"

You can follow Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) on X for more TV and movie updates.

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