Seth Meyers Breaks Silence on Colbert’s Sudden Exit — “If NBC Cancels Me Too, I’m Seriously Worried About My Sanity”
With the abrupt cancellation of CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” the future of late night television has never felt more uncertain. In a candid conversation on the “Armchair Expert” podcast, Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” since 2014, shared his thoughts on what it would mean for him—personally and professionally—if his own show were to end.
Facing the Possibility of Cancellation
When asked by host Dax Shepard whether he fears his career in late night could end suddenly, Meyers admitted, “I would worry about myself, like, mental health-wise.” He explained that while he once worried about not being “good enough,” his anxieties have shifted in recent years. Now, he fears factors outside his control, such as the entertainment industry’s shifting landscape and declining support for traditional late night shows.
“My fear is weirdly more outside of my control,” Meyers said. “At some point, the ecosystem might not support [late night]. I guess that’s better than thinking it’s your fault, but it is weird to not feel any control over it.”
The Industry in Flux
Meyers’ comments came at a time of major upheaval in late night television. CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”—officially for “financial reasons”—sparked widespread speculation about the true motivations behind the move, especially after Colbert’s public criticism of Paramount’s settlement with former President Donald Trump. The uncertainty has only fueled rumors that other high-profile shows, like ABC’s “The View,” could also be on the chopping block.
Coping With Uncertainty
Despite the anxiety, Meyers said he’s learned to focus on what he can control: “Just show up and do the work. That’s the only part they’re paying you to do. It’s the only part you’re good at. All the other problems, we have people that are as good at that as you are at the thing you do—don’t mess around with it.”
He acknowledged that this isn’t the first time he’s faced doubts about his show’s future. “Early on in the show, we had some NBC executives actually say to us, ‘We’re very worried about how the show’s going to go,’” Meyers recalled. “But in a great way, with like no real instruction as to how to get out of it. We just wanted to plant fear.”
Preparing for Life After Late Night
Meyers has put significant thought into diversifying his skills, exploring stand-up comedy and other creative avenues. “Certainly, financially, I could have been fine just doing the show for the last eleven years,” he said. “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 new passions: “Try to find something that makes you as happy as late night’s making you. There’s no one entity that can take everything away at once, and I think that’s the scariest situation to be in.”
Reflecting on His Legacy
Despite the challenges, Meyers expressed gratitude for his time in late night. “I sometimes take stock of, oh, this isn’t the best time to be doing what I’m doing, but at least I got in,” he said. “I think the body of my work matters enough that the world knows Seth Meyers in a way that I’m happy with. I’ve taken my opportunity to build a thing. I know what it means, and I think other people know what it means. So I’m happy about that.”
When “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” was officially announced to end in May 2026, Meyers paid tribute to his fellow host on Instagram: “For as great a comedian and host he is, [Stephen Colbert] is an even better person. I’m going to miss having him on TV every night but I’m excited he can no longer use the excuse that he’s ‘too busy to hang out’ with me.”
In an era of rapid change and uncertainty, Seth Meyers’ honest reflections highlight both the anxieties and the sense of accomplishment that come with a career in late night television. As the industry continues to evolve, Meyers—and his audience—are left to wonder what the future holds.
