CBS has canceled The Late Show, hosted by pro-LGBTQ+ political satirist Stephen Colbert, one day after he criticized CBS parent company Paramount Globals $16 million bribe to settle President Donald Trumps lawsuit accusing CBS 60 Minutes of deceptively editing its October 2024 interview his political opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Legal experts said Trumps lawsuit had no merit, but noted that the settlement occurred after Trumps Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into CBS interview while also overseeing Paramounts proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. A day after Colbert criticized Paramount, CBS cancelld his show, calling it purely a financial decision, despite his show being the highest-rated late-night show on TV. His show will end in May 2026. Related Stephen Colbert blasts straight men who think recycling is gay And he has a plan to use boobs to make straight men less afraid of recycling bins and tote bags. During his shows 11-year run, Colbert took numerous stands for the LGBTQ+ community. Here are five such moments that stand out. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today 2014: Colbert put the spotlight on same-sex marriageStephen Colbert | screenshot Colbert put the spotlight on same-sex marriage by taking a few shots at then-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R)s opposition to marriage equality, and speaking with Ted Olson and David Boies, the famed legal team who led the Supreme Court challenge against Californias Proposition 8 and the legal challenge to Virginias same-sex marriage ban.Colbert said, I believe we all must respect Walkers privacy at this difficult time to be against gay marriage. This is a personal matter between him and his pollster. It is none of the publics business what Walker decides in the privacy of his own governors mansion.The fact that Colbert did this, one year before the Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide, showed his commitment to LGBTQ+ people. 2016: Colbert mocks bathroom weirdos for fearing trans peopleColberts monologue hit back at the legislators nationwide who have made discriminating against transgender people a priority. As only he could, Colbert pointed out that the folks obsessed with where people go to the bathroom are, in fact, the true weirdos.These days, 19 states have laws restricting trans bathroom use. Theyre part of the larger conservative crusade to eradicate trans people entirely from public and civic life. And now, just as before, the politicians passing these dehumanizing policies are the real weirdos. 2017: Colbert mocks Russian president Vladimir Putin as a gay clownPutin and his nationalist cronies in the Kremlin have made a sport of regularly outlawing any form of LGBTQ+ public expression. In fact, in 2017, they passed a law making it illegal to display images of Putin as a gay clown. Colbert highlighted the fact that there are so many images of Putin with effeminate clown make-up on the internet that even Russian news networks were unclear which ones were outlawed.To drive home his mockery and to defy Vladimirs attempts at censorship Colbert depicted a cartoon Putin as a shirtless gay clown singing a deadpan version of drag queen RuPauls 1992 dance hit Supermodel (You Better Work). While some might find Colberts mockery homophobic, it delated Putins homoerotic strongman image and showed the silliness of his anti-gay censorship law. 2021: Pete Buttigieg denounces terrible attacks on trans youth on Stephen Colberts showDuring his shows run, Colbert repeatedly featured out queer guests speaking out against policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community. In one such segment, out Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke out forcefully against the nationwide attacks on trans youth and to highlight the progress made for LGBTQ+ people working in the U.S. government.These kids have the courage to be who they are, and they just want to be accepted and go to the bathroom like everybody else, and play sports like everybody else and be live, Buttigieg said. He worried that anti-trans legislation conveys the message that trans people shouldnt exist, something trans kids may believe.Years before the Republican party began targeting trans kids worldwide, Colbert provided a platform to speak in defense of this young, vulnerable community. 2024: Colbert clowns GOP Black Nazi perv candidate Mark RobinsonIn 2024, North Carolinas then-Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R), was running to become his states governor. His campaign was alarming, considering hismany anti-LGBTQ+ statements, such as calling homosexuality an abominable sin,comparing LGBTQ+ people to cow dung and Satanic demons, and saying trans peopleshould defecate on public street corners outsiderather than using bathrooms matching their gender identity. However, after CNN dropped a bombshell report highlighting racist and antisemitic comments that Robinson allegedly made on an explicit adult online forum, Colbert piled on the well-deserved mockery.[Robinson] referred to himself [in the online forum] as a Black Nazi, meaning Donald Trump might say hes a very fine person, but would not rent an apartment to him, Colbert joked, referencing both Trumps infamous August 15, 2017 comments that there werevery fine peopleinvolved in a Charlottesville, Virginia white supremacist rally and also the infamous 1973 federal lawsuit brought againstTrump for alleged anti-Black discrimination in hishousing developments.Colbert called Robinsons comments off-topic for a porn message board, adding, Mark, come on, stay focused. Were not talking about Hitler right now. Were debating if that delivery man was fairly compensated for the pizza he delivered withextra sausage.Robinson horribly lost his race, thanks to the bad press he received in the weeks and months leading up to his election.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.