Byron Allen Takes Late Night Throne, CBS Profits

0:00On April 7th, CBS just dropped big news on late-night TV. Stephen Colbert's run on the late show ends this May after a decade at the helm, and starting April 6th, they'll slide in back-to-back episodes of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, capped off by his game show Funny You Should Ask. This setup is a smart time-by-deal. Allen's company pays CBS a front for the airtime and sells all the ads themselves, locking in profit for the network no matter the ratings. It's why CBS pulled the plug on Colbert last summer, calling it a pure money move amid tough late-night trends. Byron Allen, the 64-year-old comedy vet and media boss, has been gunning for this spot. He started stand-up at 14 in LA, landed on Johnny Carson as the youngest ever, and built Allen media group from syndicating shows to snapping up. The Weather Channel for $310 million back in 2018. Comics Unleashed has been around 20 years, packed with evergreen jokes from stars like Kevin Hart, all family-friendly and ad-safe, no politics.

1:02Allen kicked off new episodes last year to keep it fresh, aiming to bring that post-show deli vibe where comics shine brightest. As networks chase dollars over stars, Allen stepping up with reliable laughs into 2026, proving business smarts can still deliver the funny. From the spotlight, powered by AI, this is Entertainment and Celebrity News Today.