Rock musician Bruce Springsteen took aim at CBS owners Larry and David Ellison during his appearance on the penultimate episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 21, 2026.
Springsteen performed a song and delivered a pointed critique of the media executives before bidding farewell to the late-night host.
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According to reports from showbiz411. com and billboard.
com, the veteran rock star linked the cancellation of the television program directly to the network ownership and political pressures.
"I'm here in support tonight for Stephen, because you are the first guy in America who lost his show because we got a president who can't take a joke, and because Larry and David Ellison feel they need to kiss his ass to get what they want," Springsteen said.
"Stephen, these are small-minded people.
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They got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about," he added.
Following his remarks, Springsteen performed an acoustic rendition of "The Streets of Minneapolis" as a musical farewell to Colbert.
The broadcast also featured significant charitable contributions.
Colbert donated $2.5 million to Chef Jose Andres' World Kitchen using funds from Late Show merchandise sales.
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The final episodes drew numerous high-profile guests, including Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Amy Sedaris, and former CBS News anchor John Dickerson.
