Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' writers claim CBS skipped Emmy campaign

A writer for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” claims the canceled talk show is not receiving any support from its former network for Emmy Award consideration.

In its 11-season run, CBS's late-night show received dozens of nominations, including outstanding writing for a variety series, but it has only won twice. The show took home two statuettes in 2025 for outstanding talk series and outstanding directing for a variety series.

But show writer Felipe Torres Medina alleged in a June 20 Instagram post that “CBS is not doing a For Your Consideration campaign for us, so ‘for strictly financial reasons’ the @colbertlateshow writers made our own #FYC campaign.”

The former staffer’s post references the reason Paramount provided in 2025 when it axed “The Late Show.” After Colbert signed off on May 21, CBS replaced the series with the syndicated comedy panel show “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen," (airing weekdays, 11:35 p.m. ET/PT).

The Instagram video opens with the declaration, “We’d love an Emmy!” before introducing the writing staff one by one, mimicking a classic sitcom's opening credits. The clip ends with a photo of Colbert from years ago with the caption, "And introducing Stephen T. Colbert as 'Da Boss.'"

Despite Medina's claims, CBS has executed an FYC campaign for the series in all relevant categories, which included TV promotions and digital billboards in New York and Los Angeles, and repeated emails to voters.

And according to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS paid for an FYC ad for "The Late Show" on its website, "with a link going to a page that listed all the writers."

USA TODAY has reached out to CBS for comment.

Emmys nominations voting concluded on Monday, June 22. Nods will be announced on Wednesday, July 8, by “The Bear” star Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller, of “Widow's Bay.”

A host has not yet been announced for the ceremony airing Sept. 14, 2026, on NBC and Peacock.