Byron Allen Takes Over Colbert's Time Slot — What He Said

Byron Allen Steps Into Colbert's Shoes — But He's Not Trying To Fill Them

Let's be honest. When a beloved show ends and someone new shows up in its time slot, the internet does not exactly roll out the welcome mat. That is exactly the situation Byron Allen walked into when his long-running comedy show *Comics Unleashed* moved into the 11:30 p.m. slot on CBS — the same slot Stephen Colbert held for over a decade.

Credit: tv insider

But Allen is not losing sleep over the comparisons. And he made that very clear.

"I'm Not Trying to Replace Colbert"

Just one day after Colbert's emotional finale on May 21, Allen sat down for an interview on NPR's *Newsmakers* and laid it all out plainly. According to E! News, Allen said he is not trying to replace Colbert and has no interest in chasing his audience either.

"*Comics Unleashed* has been around 20 years and has its own audience," he explained. That confidence is not arrogance — it is just a man who knows exactly what his show is and who it is for.

*Comics Unleashed* works differently from a traditional late-night format. Instead of one host running the whole show, Allen brings in a rotating panel of comedians who deliver stand-up monologues and sit around trading jokes. Past guests have included Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, and Nate Bargatze. It is loose, it is funny, and it is nothing like what Colbert was doing politically charged monologues four nights a week.

Allen summed it up perfectly: "Good luck finding another show that's had on more comedians of every shape and size and color."

He Had Nothing to Do With the Cancellation

One thing Allen wanted people to understand is that he did not swoop in and take anything from anyone. He was clear that he had nothing to do with *The Late Show* being canceled, and his tone when talking about Colbert was genuinely warm.

"Stephen Colbert is an American treasure," Allen said. "He is a phenomenal human being. He is truly special."

He even went a step further, saying Colbert has so many options ahead of him and that he would personally support whatever Colbert decides to do next — in a heartbeat.

That kind of generosity is not something you hear a lot in this industry. And it matters, especially when Allen knows that at least some portion of viewers tuning in are doing so with a chip on their shoulder about Colbert's exit.

A Show That Has Been Around Longer Than Most People Remember

Here is something worth knowing about *Comics Unleashed* before writing it off as a replacement act. The show originally aired on CBS from 2006 to 2016 — a full ten-year run — before returning in 2023, then again in 2025. This is not a show that was invented to fill a gap. It has a track record and a loyal following that has nothing to do with Stephen Colbert.

Allen is 65 years old and has been building his media empire — Allen Media Group — for decades. He owns television stations, streaming platforms, and production companies across the country. He is not an outsider being handed a slot. He is a veteran who has been working the industry longer than most of the people now criticizing the decision.

Still, he is realistic about what comes next. "Not everybody's gonna love me," he said simply. "But there is that one or two percent that would be like 'hell yeah, I'm rolling with you' — and I learned that at an early age."

What Colbert Did After His Final Show

Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert has wasted no time moving forward — in the most Colbert way possible. The day after his May 21 finale, he showed up as a guest host on *Only in Monroe*, a public access program based in Monroe, Michigan. Because of course he did.

As E! News reported, Colbert closed out *The Late Show* with a deeply personal message to his staff and audience. He called the show a "Joy Machine" — his way of explaining how doing that many episodes only works if you choose to approach it with joy. He told the crowd that what the people who work there have done for each other, and how much they mean to each other, could not be adequately explained.

It was the kind of goodbye that reminded everyone why his absence is going to leave a real gap — one that nobody, including Byron Allen, is claiming they can fill.

From FTE News