Stephen Colbert appeared to take one final swipe at CBS during the last episode of The Late Show.
The longtime host closed out the show with appearances from stars including Paul McCartney, Ryan Reynolds, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers. While thanking viewers for more than a decade of support, Colbert also delivered a joke that quickly went viral online.
During his “Meanwhile” segment, Colbert joked about copyright lawsuits involving Peanuts music. Moments later, the show’s band began playing the famous theme song, prompting Colbert to turn toward the camera and say with a smirk:
“Oh no, I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money…”
Many fans viewed the remark as a final jab at the network following CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show. The cancellation came after Colbert publicly criticized Paramount, CBS’ parent company, over its reported settlement connected to Donald Trump.
CBS has insisted the decision was purely financial and unrelated to Colbert’s political commentary.