Byron Allen details lunch with Stephen Colbert prior to being named his late-night replacement
Byron Allen details lunch with Stephen Colbert prior to being named his late-night replacement
Shania RussellMon, May 18, 2026 at 6:01 PM UTC
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Byron Allen; Stephen Colbert
Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty; Kevin Winter/GettyKey Points
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Byron Allen recounts having lunch with Stephen Colbert before landing the gig as his replacement.
The Comics Unleashed creator and host is taking over Colbert's late-night time slot.
The final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs on May 21.
Byron Allen says his friendship with Stephen Colbert has not changed, even as he prepares to take over his time slot on CBS.
On May 22, the day after Colbert says his final farewell to the network after 11 years, Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen will take over the CBS' 11:35 p.m. time slot. Though Colbert's departure is entirely out of his hands, the two comedians have made it clear that there are no hard feelings between them.
During a recent sit-down with USA Today, Allen shared that months after Colbert's cancellation was announced — but before he landed the spot as his replacement — the duo met up for a meal.
"We started breakfast at 10 a.m. and it went into lunch. And we shared our love of comedy and talk shows and Johnny Carson," Allen said. He noted that after he landed the time slot, Colbert was "gracious," and shot him a kind message. "He sent me a wonderful text. He said, 'Congratulations.'"
'Comics Unleashed' with Byron Allen
Credit: Paramount+
Allen continued, "He is a wonderful human being. He is a really good guy. He's a beautiful soul and I think he's an American treasure. I hope that he continues to come into our homes. He deserves to be there, and I think he's great. I think the world of him."
Colbert has echoed this sentiment. When asked about Byron snagging the time slot earlier this month, Colbert said, "God bless him. I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He's fascinating."
"You know his history with Carson?" Colbert continued, referring to Allen being the youngest comedian ever to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Allen was only 18 years old.
He then divulged the contents of his congratulatory text to Allen, sharing, "When I found out, I wrote him the next morning and I said, 'Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you. Wouldn't it be lovely if you could drop Mr. Carson a note?'" (Carson died in 2005 at 79.)
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CBS announced its plans for replacing Colbert's 11:35 p.m. ET/PT slot with Comics Unleashed on April 6. Unlike topical and politically driven late night talk shows, Unleashed takes a roundtable approach that invites comedians to tell stories and crack rapid-fire jokes from the couch. The broadcast will be followed up by Funny You Should Ask, a game show produced by Allen which will air at 12:35 a.m. ET/PT.
Colbert on 'The Late Show'
Credit: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS
Last July, news arrived that The Late Show would conclude its historic 33-year run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season, retiring Colbert's show and the franchise as a whole. "We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable," CBS said in a statement at the time. "We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television."
The network insisted that its decision to pull the plug on the franchise was "purely a financial one" and that it wasn't "related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
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Still, many have questioned the timing of the announcement, pointing out that Colbert had criticized CBS' corporate parent, Paramount Global, for agreeing to pay $16 million to President Donald Trump over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris that aired on 60 Minutes. Trump has also been vocal about his disdain for Colbert and celebrated news of The Late Show's cancellation on social media.
Colbert is now gearing up for his final week of episodes, which will include appearances from Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne, and Bruce Springsteen.
The final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will air on May 21 at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT.
on Entertainment Weekly
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