Late Night’s Uncertain Future: Seth Meyers Reveals Fears Amidst Industry Upheaval
The future of late-night television is facing a period of intense uncertainty, sparked by the upcoming cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. During a recent appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Seth Meyers opened up about his anxieties regarding the longevity of his own show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and the broader challenges facing the industry.
The cancellation of The Late Show in May 2025, attributed to “financial” reasons by CBS, has sent ripples through the late-night landscape. While the network lauded Colbert’s show as a ratings success and a “staple of the nation’s zeitgeist,” speculation persists that political factors also played a role in the decision.
Meyers admitted to host Dax Shepard that he does harbor fears about Late Night potentially ending abruptly. “I do,” Meyers confessed, “I mean, only because it is such a time we’re living in, as far as the entertainment industry. There is this weird thing that I feel like I shifted from fearing that I wouldn’t be good enough. And now my fear is weirdly more outside of my control, which is… just at some point, the ecosystem might not support [late night].” He acknowledged the shift in his anxieties, moving from concerns about personal performance to the systemic vulnerabilities of the entire genre.
This sense of external pressure is a new experience for Meyers. “It is weird to not feel any control over it,” he explained, emphasizing the precariousness of the current media environment. He stressed the importance of focusing on the aspects of his job he can control – namely, delivering a quality show. “That’s the only part they’re paying you to do. It’s the only part you’re good at,” Meyers stated.
Beyond the immediate concerns about his show’s survival, Meyers revealed a deeper worry: his mental stability. When questioned by Armchair Expert co-host Monica Padman about his financial security should Late Night be cancelled, Meyers responded that his mental well-being was his primary concern. “I would worry about myself mental health-wise,” he said.
To mitigate this risk, Meyers has proactively diversified his skillset. “I put a lot of thought into diversifying my skill set,” he explained. “Certainly, financially, I could have been fine just doing the show for the last eleven years. But then it was like, ‘Oh, you know what? I feel like there’s something to trying to build a stand-up career and trying to do other things.’” He emphasized the importance of finding alternative creative outlets, stating, “It’s more like, ‘Try to find something that makes you as happy as late night’s making you.’ And there’s no one entity that can take everything away at once, and I think that’s the scariest situation to be in.”
The anxieties surrounding The Late Show’s cancellation have also ignited a public exchange between Stephen Colbert and Donald Trump. Following the announcement, Colbert declared “now for the next 10 months, the gloves are off,” and proceeded to openly criticize Trump on air, stating he “doesn’t seem to have the skill set to be president.” Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, predicting the downfall of Jimmy Kimmel’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. Colbert swiftly retorted, proclaiming himself “the martyr” and asserting his position as the sole target.
In a show of solidarity, Meyers joined Colbert on The Late Show alongside fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver to demonstrate support in the wake of the cancellation announcement.
The situation underscores a fundamental shift in the entertainment industry, where even established and successful programs are vulnerable to economic pressures and evolving audience habits. Meyers’ reflections offer a candid glimpse into the anxieties of those working within this uncertain landscape, and the proactive steps being taken to navigate an increasingly unpredictable future.
