Stephen Colbert’s Final ‘Late Show’ Sparks Fresh Controversy After Joke About Bari Weiss — And Now CBS Is Facing New Questions. As viewers react to Colbert’s headline-making remarks, reports claim the network instructed its morning show not to mention his farewell episode, fueling speculation about behind-the-scenes tensions and a growing media firestorm. What really happened after the comedian’s viral jab, and why are critics calling the alleged blackout one of the most talked-about decisions in late-night television this year?
Stephen Colbert left top CBS brass seething after taking a parting shot at both the news division’s Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and evening news anchor Tony Dokoupil during his final days on air, RadarOnline. com can reveal.
The late-night comic reportedly sent Weiss into an “” rage when he brutally mocked the pair in a segment that aired just one week before his final episode on May 21. The fallout was so intense that the network ordered the hosts of CBS Mornings not to discuss the demise of the long-running late-night franchise during the following day’s broadcast.
‘Late Show’ Mocked CBS News Not Securing a Chinese Visa for Tony Dokoupil
At the heart of the bad blood was a “fake news alert” segment airing on The Late Show on May 14, making fun of how Dokoupil was unable to travel to China for Donald Trump’s two-day summit with Xi Jinping, instead sending him to neighboring Taiwan after allegedly not securing a Chinese visa in time for the president’s trip.
The “news report” included a headline from the New York Post, as an anchorman’s voice read, “While the rest of the TV news world is in China to cover the summit, CBS News was forced to send Tony Dokoupil to Taiwan after failing to get a Chinese visa in time for the president’s visit, causing some insiders to call it very sloppy.”
The segment cut to an actual clip of Dokoupil from the CBS Evening News, as he explained to viewers, “Right now, I’m just about 100 miles off the coast of mainland China,” as the audience erupted in laughter.
Bari Weiss Included in Brutal ‘Late Show’ Takedown
“But that’s not the only challenge that Tony faced,” a card then read, as the CBS Evening News opening played while noting he was reporting from ‘the wrong China.”
“Good evening. We are live from Taiwan,” the anchor’s muffled voice could be heard saying as footage rolled of a man stumbling around with a pumpkin stuck over his head, desperately unable to remove it.
“Here comes the head of CBS News, Bari Weiss, to help. She’s hitting his head with a tiny mallet,” the voice over continued as a woman was seen beating the pumpkin with the tool.
“Tony, what’s happening there?” the man’s voice asked. Dokoupil was heard telling viewers, “The Leaders of the world’s two great superpowers are convening tonight. On the surface, it might look like…” as the woman came back into the frame and began beating the pumpkin with a metal bat as the audience roared in hysterics.
CBS Brass ‘Hated’ Stephen Colbert’s Digs at Bari Weiss & News Division’s China Trip Debacle
After Colbert’s final episode aired, CBS Mornings made absolutely no mention of the network saying goodbye to the longtime late-night institution.
“And that wasn’t an oversight,” Puck News founder Mathew Belloni reported about how there were “no highlights” and “not a single mention of a pretty major event on its own network.”
“I’m told the ghosting was a specific directive from CBS News president Tom Cibrowski, who hated Colbert’s recent bit mocking their failure to secure a China visa for anchor Tony Dokoupil,” Belloni shared. “Colbert kicked colleagues when they were down,” one source at CBS News told him, saying of the actions, “It was unprofessional and unprovoked.”
Gayle King Paid Tribute to Stephen Colbert Away From ‘CBS Mornings’
While the star-studded Late Show finale didn’t include an appearance by CBS Mornings host Gayle King, she attended the afterparty.
The longtime morning personality gushed over her pal in an Instagram post along with photos and video from the bash.
“I can’t imagine late night without Stephen Colbert, and yet here we are,” King, 71, mourned in the caption.
She added, “I’m not the only one who feels that way, and the people turned out for his wrap party in NYC. They hit the dance floor with Stephen, who is clearly ready for things to come – and I can’t wait!”