Sandra Oh’s strong words against CBS & Paramount raised eyebrows in the wake of their cancellation of The Late Show hosted by Stephen Colbert.
The Killing Eve star, aged 54, stirred up debate following her bold remarks on Tuesday’s episode of the late-night show on the network, with a notable CBS analyst describing her views as misguided.
The Canadian-American star expressed her anger and frustration with Colbert‘s cancellation this month, after a 10-season run.
‘Like probably everyone here and everyone who is so supportive outside wants to say that I am so sorry and saddened and properly outraged for the cancellation of late-night here,’ the Emmy-winning actress expressed.
Oh, a two-time Golden Globe recipient, highlighted that the corporate-level decision – widely perceived to be politically influenced – marked a significant shift in standards in the U.S. during President Donald Trump’s second presidency.
‘Not only for yourself and for this entire family who are here, but for what it means, of what it means where we are in our culture and what it means for free speech,’ said the Sideways actress.
Sandra Oh’s strong words against CBS & Paramount for their cancelation of The Late Show, hosted by Steven Colbert, raised eyebrows
Oh, who played Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 2005 until 2014, made strong wishes against the companies that were behind the controversial move
Oh, who played Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 2005 until 2014, made strong wishes against the companies that were behind the move.
‘So I just want to say, sorry, and also if I can have your hand,’ she told the host, ‘to CBS and Paramount – a plague on both of your houses.’
Colbert said he was ‘very grateful’ as he wagged his finger, adding, ‘I think they’ve been great partners.’
Oh, who portrayed the role of Eve Polastri on the drama Killing Eve, garnered a number of strong responses via social media following the appearance – with some people saying she took things too far.
Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings said Oh had things pegged wrong in blaming Colbert’s show ending on politics, amid a changing economic landscape in late night TV – and culture.
‘The business is broken,’ Dokoupil said. ‘And what no one seems to acknowledge is that the politics also changed.
‘The business changed and so did the politics, and it got way more one-sided than anything Johnny Carson was ever doing.’ (Carson, who died in 2005, famously was one to steer clear of going too far left or right so as not to put off a chunk of his audience.)
Dokoupil added, ‘I think we should reflect on those changes as well – it’s been a big shift culturally in that regard also.’
The Canadian-American actress expressed her anger and frustration with Colbert‘s cancellation this month, after a stellar 10-season run.
The Emmy-winner said, ‘to CBS and Paramount – a plague on both of your houses!’
Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings said Oh had things pegged wrong in blaming Colbert’s show ending on politics, amid a changing economic landscape in late night TV – and culture
CBS and parent Paramount Global said the cancellation was spurred by business – not politics
Some social media users applauded The Sympathizer star’s strong support for the embattled Colbert
Others applauded The Sympathizer star’s strong support for the embattled Colbert, with one Instagram user declaring, ‘I love a good Shakespearean insult.’
Another user on the platform said: ‘I know Stephen is really really sad mostly because he knows 200 people will also be out of work.
‘He’s a good man and he feels responsible. By the way, I love Sandra Oh!’
A user responded of Oh’s cleverness in the bit: ‘Technically she used their own platform against them, Colbert’s show.’
Said one X/Twitter user: ‘sandra oh wishing a plague on cbs and paramount on steven colbert’s show she’s everything.’
Another added, ‘I’m screamingggg she’s too funny.’
A user said of Oh’s cleverness in the bit: ‘Technically she used their own platform against them, Colbert’s show.’
Dokoupil said that while he understood ‘the emotional views’ Jon Stewart expressed, they weren’t square with good business tactics
The move to ax Colbert was a controversial one within some circles of Hollywood, as the late night host has received words of public support from the genre’s elder statesman, David Letterman; as well as former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart.
Stewart lashed out amid news of the cancelation, linking it to the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance Media, which needed to be OK’ed by the Federal Communications Commission under Trump’s administration.
‘The shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control, a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those f***ing shows,’ Stewart said.
Dokoupil said that while he understood ‘the emotional views’ Stewart expressed, they weren’t square with good business tactics.
‘I don’t have an MBA but he’s not right that the merger, the $8 billion, is based on reruns of a comedy show, no,’ he said. ‘People are buying the movies and the sitcoms and the sports.
‘They’re not based on reruns of [CBS Mornings] either, so I think it’s wrong.’
