In a candid and emotional interview this week, Stephen Colbert — for nearly a decade the defining voice of The Late Show and one of the sharpest satirists on American television — said he is now considering leaving the United States altogether.
The remarks, his first extended comments since CBS abruptly canceled his long-running program earlier this month, underscored both the personal and professional upheaval facing the late-night veteran.
“It was a gut punch,” Colbert said, describing the dismissal that stunned colleagues and fans alike. “Now I understand why Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres left. Sometimes, you just have to get out.”
For years, Colbert built his reputation on skewering political hypocrisy while weaving warmth and storytelling into the fabric of his nightly show. His abrupt ouster has fueled speculation about behind-the-scenes pressures from advertisers and political actors uneasy with his unapologetic satire.
That a figure so closely tied to American cultural life might now be contemplating life abroad speaks to the magnitude of the rupture. While Colbert offered no specifics on where he might go, he acknowledged he was weighing opportunities beyond U.S. borders — an extraordinary admission from a comedian who made his career by holding a mirror to American politics.
Whether Colbert ultimately leaves or not, his comments highlight the discontent simmering within the entertainment industry, where questions of free expression, corporate caution, and political pressure continue to collide.