Bruce Springsteen criticized Paramount Global owners Larry and David Ellison during his appearance on the penultimate episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
The veteran rock star targeted the media executives before delivering a musical farewell to the late-night host on the program broadcast by CBS.
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Springsteen linked the show's cancellation directly to network ownership and political pressures from the current administration.
"I'm here tonight to support Stephen, because you're the first guy in America who lost his show because we've got a president who can't take a joke," Springsteen said.
The late-night program regularly satirized the Trump administration, leading observers like Senator Elizabeth Warren to call the cancellation political censorship after Colbert criticized a $16 million settlement paid to Donald Trump.
"And because Larry and David Ellison feel the need to kiss his ass to get what they want," Springsteen added.
CBS announced the cancellation in July 2025, citing tens of millions of dollars in annual financial losses over its 11-season run.
"Stephen, these are small-minded people," Springsteen said. "They've got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about."
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The musician then performed "Streets of Minneapolis," a song written to honor Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two undocumented immigrants killed by ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge in January.
The track debuted at number one on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart dated February 7, and Springsteen pledged all recording proceeds to the victims' families.
"This is for you," Springsteen said before dedicating the performance to Colbert.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert concludes its 11-year run on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 11:35 p.
m. Eastern Time.
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The canceled program will be replaced by Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen on the CBS schedule.
