Attorneys Melissa Berouty and Christine Hintze have extensive experience counseling and advocating for employees who have been retaliated against for their protected whistleblower complaints.
When Late-Night Collides with Corporate Power
In a bombshell announcement on July 17, 2025, CBS revealed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026, which was a surprising move just three days after Colbert lambasted CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, for settling a lawsuit with Donald Trump. Colbert called the deal, “A big, fat, bribe,” igniting discussion about whether his candid speech played a part in the network’s decision to end the show. While CBS cites “purely financial” reasons for the show’s cancellation, the timing and context raise compelling questions about the legal protections for outspoken employees.
The Timeline
On July 14, 2025, Colbert called Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes lawsuit, “A big, fat bribe,” alleging that the settlement was designed to influence federal approval of the $8.4 billion Skydance merger.
On July 17, 2025, Colbert informed a live studio audience that CBS notified him the night before, on July 16, that the show would end in May 2026, “It is not just the end of the show, it is the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away.”
On July 18, 2025, CBS issued a statement calling the cancellation a “purely financial decision,” unrelated to content or Paramount’s internal controversies.
What is a Whistleblower?
In employment law, a whistleblower is someone who reports illegal, unethical, or unsafe behavior by their employer. This can include:
- Fraud or financial misconduct
- Discrimination or harassment
- Health and safety violations
- Wage and hour law violations
- Violations of public policy or government regulations
However, it is important to understand the difference between protected whistleblowing and general criticism of a company. Merely disagreeing with a business decision or making negative comments on social media about your workplace usually is not protected. For whistleblower protections to apply, the employee typically must be reporting or objecting to conduct they reasonably believe violates a law, rule, or regulation.
In this context, Colbert’s on-air criticism of Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, calling it a “big, fat bribe,” raises important legal questions.
Legal Protections for Whistleblowers
Employees in New York are protected from whistleblower retaliation under New York Labor Law § 740 (“NYLL”), one of the broadest whistleblower protection statutes in the country. This law makes it unlawful for an employer to take retaliatory action against an employee who:
- Discloses or threatens to disclose conduct that the employee reasonably believes violates any law, rule, or regulation;
- Provides information about such conduct to a supervisor, law enforcement, or a government body; or
- Objects to or refuses to participate in conduct the employee reasonably believes is illegal or fraudulent.
Importantly, the employee is not required to prove that the employer actually broke the law. The standard under NYLL § 740 is whether the employee held a reasonable, good-faith belief that the conduct was unlawful. This distinction significantly expands the scope of protection, enabling employees to speak up without having to be certain of legal wrongdoing, an essential safeguard in fast-moving or high-stakes industries like media, finance, and tech.
Could Colbert’s Statement Be Protected?
Again, we emphasize that we do not know why CBS canceled The Late Show. With that said, let’s consider Colbert’s on-air remarks through the lens of NYLL § 740.
By calling Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, “A big, fat bribe,” Colbert was not just offering a joke, he was arguably raising a serious ethical and legal concern. Under NYLL § 740, if Colbert, as a CBS employee, was expressing a reasonable belief that the settlement was not just ethically questionable but potentially unlawful (e.g., as an attempt to improperly influence federal approval of the Skydance merger), that statement could arguably qualify as protected whistleblower activity.
Whistleblower Retaliation May Include:
- Termination or suspension
- Demotion or reduction in pay
- Harassment or threats
- Exclusion from projects or professional opportunities
- Any adverse employment action that could dissuade a reasonable employee from speaking up
In high-profile or public-facing roles, where internal dissent or public commentary can easily be construed as disloyalty, NYLL § 740 may offer a powerful, though often overlooked, layer of protection.
Could The Late Show’s Cancellation be Retaliation?
In Colbert’s case, The Late Show was cancelled just three days after he aired criticism regarding the legality of the settlement. CBS may claim financial motives, but the timing alone could support an inference of retaliation, especially if the employer knew about the objection, and moved quickly to silence the employee.
While Colbert’s public status makes this a unique case, the underlying legal principles applies broadly: an employer cannot retaliate against an employee who raises concerns about conduct they believe to be illegal.
Conclusion: When to Seek Legal Help
The cancellation of The Late Show may, at first glance, seem like just another shake-up in the entertainment industry. However, it also raises important questions about retaliation in the workplace and the boundaries of protection under New York’s whistleblower laws.
While we may never know the full story behind CBS’s decision, this situation serves as a powerful reminder: if you have faced retaliation after reporting misconduct or speaking out against potentially illegal or unethical practices, you may have legal options.
Whether your concerns involve fraud, harassment, unsafe working conditions, or corporate wrongdoing, you do not have to navigate it alone. If you believe you’ve been retaliated against, even for outspoken criticism, you may be protected under the law.
Concerned about your situation? Contact (866) 229-9441 today for a confidential consultation. We are here to advocate for the protection you deserve.