Stephen Colbert, the host of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', has expressed his surprise at being perceived as a left-wing figure despite his conservative views. In an interview with GQ magazine, Colbert revealed that he often finds himself in situations where people misinterpret his reactions to current events under President Donald Trump.
According to Colbert, his on-air persona is more nuanced and reflects his honest opinions rather than a predetermined progressive stance. "I think I'm more conservative than people think," he said. "What I'm giving you is my reaction video to the day, not some carefully crafted message." He drew parallels between his reactions to current events and Edvard Munch's famous painting 'The Scream', but with a comedic twist.
When asked about the cancellation of his show by CBS, Colbert stated that it was likely due to the high costs involved in producing late-night programming. "These late-night shows are kind of like symphony orchestras," he explained. "They need a certain amount of personnel to do them." He acknowledged that this made sense from a business perspective, but not necessarily from his own creative point of view.
Colbert also spoke about the challenges of navigating the world of network executives, who may prioritize cost-cutting measures over the quality and longevity of their shows. "I can understand from a business point of view," he said, "but it seems indispensable as part of some Americans' experience or daily experience."
Despite his uncertainty about what's next for him, Colbert expressed relief at the prospect of taking a break from the demands of hosting a late-night show. "I will miss every aspect of my job other than wearing makeup," he quipped.
As his last show approaches in May, Colbert remains unsure about how to move forward but is looking forward to recharging his creative energies. He compared the experience of ending his show to being offered a choice between a knife and an ice cream cone – a decision that's both unexpected and thrilling.
According to Colbert, his on-air persona is more nuanced and reflects his honest opinions rather than a predetermined progressive stance. "I think I'm more conservative than people think," he said. "What I'm giving you is my reaction video to the day, not some carefully crafted message." He drew parallels between his reactions to current events and Edvard Munch's famous painting 'The Scream', but with a comedic twist.
When asked about the cancellation of his show by CBS, Colbert stated that it was likely due to the high costs involved in producing late-night programming. "These late-night shows are kind of like symphony orchestras," he explained. "They need a certain amount of personnel to do them." He acknowledged that this made sense from a business perspective, but not necessarily from his own creative point of view.
Colbert also spoke about the challenges of navigating the world of network executives, who may prioritize cost-cutting measures over the quality and longevity of their shows. "I can understand from a business point of view," he said, "but it seems indispensable as part of some Americans' experience or daily experience."
Despite his uncertainty about what's next for him, Colbert expressed relief at the prospect of taking a break from the demands of hosting a late-night show. "I will miss every aspect of my job other than wearing makeup," he quipped.
As his last show approaches in May, Colbert remains unsure about how to move forward but is looking forward to recharging his creative energies. He compared the experience of ending his show to being offered a choice between a knife and an ice cream cone – a decision that's both unexpected and thrilling.
Colbert's all like "I'm not as lib as ppl think" but its kinda hard 2 believe when ur on air n it sounds so prog 
. hes got points tho, the late night show biz is crazy expensive & u gotta have a lot of ppl 2 make it happen 
. i can see why theyd wanna cut costs, but its sad 4 him cuz he was doin somethin diff. might b good 4 him 2 take a break n recharge tho 
. now wut's next? 
. I mean, he's not afraid to say he's more conservative than people think, which is kinda refreshing in the world of late-night TV where it seems like everyone has to toe the liberal line. And let's be real, who can't relate to feeling like your reactions are being misinterpreted all the time? 
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. I'm curious to see what he does next though – will he come back swinging or take some time off to recharge? 
Only time (and Stephen's next move) will tell! 
i can relate to wanting to take a break from the stress of hosting a late-night show, sometimes you just need some time to recharge & come back with even more sass 
he's always been this underrated host who can tackle any topic with such wit & humor, but ppl still dont get it 
its crazy how network execs prioritize profits over quality content - its just not right 
anyway, i'm hyped for whatever colbert does next 
we need more people like him who can bring satire & humor to politics & current events 
anyhoo, colbert's just gonna sit back relax and make us laugh with his new Netflix show 
. I mean, come on, he's been playing it cool and poking fun at himself for years. It's about time people saw beyond the surface level and realized he's not as one-dimensional as they thought. He's like a comedic chameleon – one day he's making fun of Trump, the next he's cracking jokes about his own show getting cancelled 
, but with a comedic twist. I mean, that's just how Colbert rolls, right? But seriously, it's interesting that he's speaking out about the costs of late-night programming - those shows are pretty expensive to produce 
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I mean, come on CBS, cancelling a show just because it's too expensive? 
. Just not gonna happen. I guess when you're part of the machine, you gotta wear the mask and pretend to be something you're not. 
The idea that network execs care more about the bottom line than actual content is just sad. Can't they see that's what drives viewership? 
It's refreshing to hear him speak his mind and not sugarcoat things – even if it means acknowledging the business side of things.
In fact, according to Nielsen, his show has averaged around 2.5 million viewers per episode, which is a great number considering the competition. 
Maybe he'll come back with an even better show or do something completely new... who knows? 
He just tells it like it is, even if it makes us uncomfortable. I mean, who needs scripted messages when you can just be yourself? 
. Who knows what's next for him? Maybe he'll find a way to bring his unique brand of humor and satire to the airwaves again 
!