Byron Allen, who would be taking over Stephen Colbert’s slot on CBS, says the channel has not imposed any limits on the new show. After 11 years and 1,801 episodes, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS finally came to an end on May 21, 2026. The finale was an extravagant affair as it featured a star-studded guest list, including Paul McCartney, Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds, Bryan Cranston, etc. Now CBS plans to fill his spot with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed. 

Talking about his show, Allen recently revealed that he has not been given any restrictive guidelines for the new show.

In a recent interview with NPR, Byron Allen, the comedian and media executive who founded Allen Media Group, talked about taking over Stephen Colbert’s slot on CBS but not trying to replace it. Rather, he wants to stay true to the Comics Unleashed true identity that he has established over 20 years. He also revealed that he has not been given any boundaries not to cross or topics not to discuss.

“I have absolutely not had any conversations with anybody at CBS or Paramount about what to say or not to say,” he said.

He further added that he has been taping the show since July or August, and in that duration, a representative from the channel visited them only once. The representative was just there to ask for one of the tapings. He said that they have barely given any notes on the episodes they sent.

“CBS has not given me any notes, any feedback about don’t be political. I started the show 20 years ago, and we’ve been crushing it for 20 years,” Allen said.

Comics Unleashed has been going on since 2006, where Allen performs brief comedic routines and discusses current events with a rotating panel of stand-up comedians. After James Corden left The Late Late Show, the program took over CBS's post-midnight time slot. In 2025, it made a comeback to the network under a time-buy arrangement whereby Allen Media Group bought airtime from CBS and managed its own advertising sales. So, it is not really a new entry for CBS.

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After the announcement of Comics Unleashed getting Stephen Colbert’s slot, there have been rumors of the show trying to replace the iconic comedian’s show.

As his comedy show takes over The Late Show on CBS, Byron Allen claims he is not attempting to take Stephen Colbert's place. Allen told NPR that his Comics Unleashed program would steer clear of the political humor that Colbert's show became known for, especially during the administrations of Donald Trump.   

“At the end of the day, I’m not trying to replace Colbert. I am not trying to hold on to his audience because Comics Unleashed has been around 20 years and has its own audience. And we’re speaking to people who have been ignored,” he clarified.

In April 2026, CBS announced that the show would take over the 11.35 PM slot after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert concluded. With the free rein that Byron Allen has been given by the channel, it will be expected that his show, Comics Unleashed, delivers something offbeat, although the show specializes in observational, daily-life humor.

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What are your thoughts on Comics Unleashed replacing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert? Let us know in the comments.