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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(137,718 posts)
Sat May 16, 2026, 01:38 PM May 16

Byron Allen Says He'll Save CBS at Least $150 Million Taking Over Colbert's 'Late Show' Slot: 'A Great Deal'

Byron Allen is getting ready for his close up, as the affiliate TV station owner and comedian’s “Comics Unleashed” prepares to take over the time slot of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” next week.

Beginning May 22, the show will air with back-to-back half-hour episodes from 11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT on CBS. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can also stream the show live via the feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service. Meanwhile, Allen Media Group’s “Funny You Should Ask,” a comedy game show hosted by Jon Kelley, will have back-to-back half-hour episodes from 12:37-1:37 AM, ET/PT.

Allen told TheWrap that while he was surprised by CBS’ decision to cancel Colbert, he saw an opportunity to grow the “Comics Unleashed” audience while helping the Paramount-owned network cut costs. The David Ellison-led media giant is targeting at least $3 billion in cost savings.

“Between the two time periods, they’re saving approximately $150 million+ per year, just on production and marketing,” he said. “That does not include what I’m paying [for the time slot]. So it’s a great deal for CBS.”

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/byron-allen-says-ll-save-202106102.html

Does this guy seriously think the audience gives a shit how much he's saving See BS? If his show is not entertaining no one will watch it.

Colbert was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, so he already had a following. Byron Allen I'm told was on "Real People" which ran in the late 1970s for a few episodes. Otherwise, I never heard of the guy.

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Byron Allen Says He'll Save CBS at Least $150 Million Taking Over Colbert's 'Late Show' Slot: 'A Great Deal' (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 16 OP
I'll be watching Kimmel videohead5 May 16 #1
Same! Wuddles440 May 16 #21
Same Emile May 16 #25
I will watch Kimmel also Trueblue1968 May 16 #29
Won't be renewing my auto record lame54 May 16 #2
Wow, maybe with saving all that money, CBS could afford another eye. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist May 16 #3
Not a great deal for viewers. highplainsdem May 16 #4
Saving CBS all that money with NO ONE watching and you, BYRON will be GONE-- hlthe2b May 16 #5
As long as Byron Allen's money holds out MurrayDelph May 16 #8
Ad buyers don't like shows without "eyeballs," so don't bet the farm on THAT... hlthe2b May 16 #11
I've found his show to be MurrayDelph May 16 #14
He's a billionaire with his own media properties clevergrrrl May 16 #16
No one is going to watch this idiot LetMyPeopleVote May 16 #6
Was this guy ever funny? spanone May 16 #7
Still waiting... LuvLoogie May 16 #32
Remember him from decades ago and never found him funny. Not on the allegorical oracle May 17 #36
With no viewers nor advertisers. City Lights May 16 #9
Byron who? Vinca May 16 #10
A third rate right wing hack. CanonRay May 16 #12
Byron Allen's Ownership Portfolio HAB911 May 16 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave May 16 #22
If AI slop were a person it would Byron Allen clevergrrrl May 16 #15
His show sucks but save the hate for Paramount and Ellison newdeal2 May 16 #17
"Comics Unleashed" isn't funny. CBS won't have any viewers. Ritabert May 16 #18
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave May 16 #19
Hey Byron fuck you and your deal! Initech May 16 #20
Well, that won't look good on his resume. pecosbob May 16 #23
How much will he save when nobody watches it? GoodRaisin May 16 #24
His company partners with Fox and Sinclair. Kablooie May 16 #26
You get what you pay for. kerry-is-my-prez May 16 #27
Kinda reminds me of FOX's hair-brained scheme to compete with no_hypocrisy May 16 #28
Joan Rivers' popularity took a humongous slide. oasis May 16 #33
When Colbert's protege Taylor Tomlinson was on in the 12:30 a.m. slot Wednesdays May 16 #30
Byron Allen? LuvLoogie May 16 #31
Will also save a lot of folks from experiencing laughter, enjoyment. n/t flvegan May 16 #34
Happened to catch his show once B.See May 16 #35

hlthe2b

(114,791 posts)
5. Saving CBS all that money with NO ONE watching and you, BYRON will be GONE--
Sat May 16, 2026, 01:57 PM
May 16

thereby saving CBS EVEN MORE $$$ until the network dies. Good deal, Byron?

MurrayDelph

(5,780 posts)
8. As long as Byron Allen's money holds out
Sat May 16, 2026, 02:25 PM
May 16

CBS makes money. He bought the airtime and gets whatever money the commercials bring in.

hlthe2b

(114,791 posts)
11. Ad buyers don't like shows without "eyeballs," so don't bet the farm on THAT...
Sat May 16, 2026, 02:28 PM
May 16

I have never found him to be talented and I'd bet even those who do, may hold a grudge against CBS.

MurrayDelph

(5,780 posts)
14. I've found his show to be
Sat May 16, 2026, 03:05 PM
May 16

an unfunny ripoff of "Alan Davies As Yet Untitled" and Paul Provenza's "The Green Room."

I have friends who are (or have written for) professional comedians. To date, I have never heard of any of the guests on Allen's show (which the DVR thankfully cuts off after the opening titles).

CBS, who only own about 10 stations in the US get their money upfront; is the affiliates who will suffer. But since one of the largest affiliates is Sinclair, I'm ok with that.

The situation is akin to when I saw Elayne Boosler, Roger & Roger, and The Unknown Comic in Las Vegas back around 1980, at The Landmark (before the Martians blew it up). Murray Langston (aka The Unknown Comic) rented the showroom, paid the other comedians, the stage crew, and the advertising. Langston got the ticket money. If nobody showed up, the only big to the casino was the salary of the cocktail waitress (drinks were not included in the ticket price).

At that show, my friends and I sat front row center, and saw Elayne (who killed), Roger & Roger (who killed), The Unknown Comic (who didn't kill), and a couple of cockroaches (whom I killed; I tell you the Martians did us a favor).
.

allegorical oracle

(6,602 posts)
36. Remember him from decades ago and never found him funny. Not on the
Sun May 17, 2026, 07:24 AM
May 17

level of John Oliver, Stewart, Colbert and Kimmel. Didn't even know he was still around.

HAB911

(10,616 posts)
13. Byron Allen's Ownership Portfolio
Sat May 16, 2026, 02:36 PM
May 16

(understand after Colbert, CBS will be locked out of my DVR)

Television Networks: Allen Media Group owns ten television networks, including:
The Weather Channel
Comedy.TV
Cars.TV
JusticeCentral.TV
Pets.TV
Recipe.TV
Local Now
TheGrio

Real Estate Holdings
Allen's real estate portfolio is extensive and includes luxury properties in several prime locations:

Location Property Type Notable Features
Malibu Luxury Mansion Purchased for $100 million
Manhattan Full-Floor Apartment Sold for $82.5 million in 2025
Maui Oceanfront Estate 7,300 square feet, five bedrooms, beachfront access
Beverly Hills Two-Home Compound Acquired for $22 million

Response to HAB911 (Reply #13)

clevergrrrl

(186 posts)
15. If AI slop were a person it would Byron Allen
Sat May 16, 2026, 03:07 PM
May 16

Unfunny mediocrity. His style is 1970s humor with all the sexism, racism and misogyny that entails. His game shows are just garbage. Washed up old comedians he hires to tell unfunny jokes to canned laughter. The thing that most people don't know about him is that he is a billionaire and owns his own media company.

newdeal2

(5,636 posts)
17. His show sucks but save the hate for Paramount and Ellison
Sat May 16, 2026, 03:11 PM
May 16

They’re the ones who did this to Colbert.

Response to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

no_hypocrisy

(55,468 posts)
28. Kinda reminds me of FOX's hair-brained scheme to compete with
Sat May 16, 2026, 08:09 PM
May 16

Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show by putting on against TTS its own late-night show with Joan Rivers.

How did that work out:

Rivers' ratings sank quickly.

Depressed for being seen as a failure, Rivers' husband committed suicide.

Rivers not only lost her lifetime friendship with Johnny Carson, who felt betrayed, but he hated her.

Rivers lost a majority of her Q Factor and wasn't seen as positively in her prior career, and never regained it.

Wednesdays

(23,207 posts)
30. When Colbert's protege Taylor Tomlinson was on in the 12:30 a.m. slot
Sat May 16, 2026, 09:26 PM
May 16

...with her show, "After Midnight," I'd sometimes watch because it was halfway decent.

But after she quit, I stopped watching that timeslot. I wish no ill will on Byron Allen, but I find him very dull and his guests are third-rate comedians.

After May 21, I'm forever tuning in to ABC after local news.

B.See

(8,908 posts)
35. Happened to catch his show once
Sat May 16, 2026, 11:40 PM
May 16

and wasn't impressed. No reflection on Allen because I know nothing of his politics and think he's being used as a pawn in a much larger reich-wing effort to seize control of the media. So I won't be watching either.

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