Stephen Colbert’s Late Show replacement, Byron Allen, says he’s “not trying to replace” the iconic host in the time slot. He says Comics Unleashed has its own audience and adds that not everyone will love his approach. Allen’s comments come as his comedy series takes over the CBS slot previously held by The Late Show.
Stephen Colbert’s Late Show replacement, Byron Allen, says ‘not everyone’s going to love me’
Byron Allen is stepping into a major late-night space, but he is making it clear he is not trying to fill Stephen Colbert’s shoes. His show Comics Unleashed, has taken over the CBS time slot once held by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The shift has sparked discussion, but Allen says his approach is completely different and built on its own identity rather than comparison.
Allen addressed expectations around the change in an interview with NPR. He stressed that he is not trying to pull Colbert’s audience over to his show. Instead, he pointed out that Comics Unleashed has been running since 2006 and already has its own loyal viewers.
“I’m not trying to replace Colbert,” he said. “I am not trying to hold on to his audience because Comics Unleashed has been around 20 years and has its own audience.” He also admitted the reaction will not be universal, saying, “Not everyone’s going to love me” (via EW).
Allen also spoke about the tone of his show, which avoids political content. Allen said there are no restrictions placed on him by CBS or Paramount regarding what he can discuss. According to him, the network has not interfered creatively or given direction on content. “Absolutely not,” he said when asked about boundaries.
Allen also noted, “I have absolutely not had any conversations with anybody at CBS or Paramount about what to say or not to say.” He added that episodes are delivered with minimal feedback from the network. Allen plans to avoid political debates and focus on stand-up and conversation-based humor. “No politics,” he said in another interview on CBS Mornings. “You come, you laugh.”