Stephen Colbert’s Parody Sparks Debate on Copyright and Media Power

Stephen Colbert attended The Hollywood Reporter’s The Most Powerful People in New York Media celebration earlier this month in New York. Following his exit from The Late Show, Colbert took on a unique opportunity by hosting a local cable access show in Monroe, Michigan. CBS, along with its parent company Paramount, initially attempted to restrict the reposting of Colbert’s parody show titled Only In Monroe but later relented.

The program, featuring rockstar Jack White as a sidekick, went viral shortly after its release. Colbert humorously remarked, “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV,” expressing gratitude for appearing on Monroe Community Media.

The parody gained traction on social media platforms, prompting CBS to issue copyright protection notices to unauthorized sites sharing the content. However, CBS later stated that the parody was approved for distribution on select YouTube channels affiliated with CBS. They have since decided to suspend further enforcement of copyright policies until a thorough review.

Colbert’s The Late Show was canceled by CBS in July 2025, attributed to financial reasons amidst Paramount Global’s ongoing merger negotiations with Skydance Media.

Colbert ended his The Late Show tenure with a farewell episode featuring celebrities like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney. His transition to Only In Monroe highlighted the stark change from leading a major television role to a modest local TV setup.

The Monroe episode showcased segments on local interest topics such as Bigfoot sightings, while actor Jeff Daniels joined to make sandwiches and present the community calendar. During the episode, Colbert humorously contacted Byron Allen, host of Comics Unleashed, which has filled The Late Show time slot.

Allen, who described Colbert as “an American treasure,” noted in an NPR interview that his show would avoid the political humor prevalent during the Colbert era on The Late Show. Allen emphasized embracing the diverse audience, acknowledging that not everyone may agree but appreciating the support of those who enjoy his approach.