There’s a reason for the quotation marks around “cancellation.” Stephen Colbert isn’t being pulled off the air. CBS isn’t replacing him; they’ve simply chosen not to extend his contract. He’ll continue delivering his signature monologues for another 10 months before the network fully cancels his show. And regarding the claim that this decision relates to the Trump lawsuit? That theory has been debunked since it was revealed the network made this choice weeks before reaching a settlement with Trump. Colbert only found out about his show’s impending end because his agent didn’t inform him when he was on holiday.

Parallel to this, a significant media deal was taking place, countering any censorship narrative. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of “South Park,” have secured a contract renewal. This new five-year agreement will pay them a staggering $1.5 billion. This hefty sum provides a powerful lesson for media analysts.

South Park goes harder against Trump – and is far funnier – than Stephen Colbert, and they get promoted while he gets cancelled.

The useless elite complaining about democracy ignore the reality – it’s just money, and ROI. He’s a dinosaur, and the meteor just hit. He’s extinct.

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 25, 2025

While claims circulated that Colbert was being silenced by indirect government pressure, those spreading these claims ignored the hard facts: Colbert’s “The Late Show” incurs $40 million in losses annually. Meanwhile, “South Park” remains hugely profitable, attracting subscribers to the struggling Paramount+ streaming platform. Notably, Paramount, the parent company of Comedy Central which airs “South Park,” also owns CBS Network. (This was also Jon Stewart’s mistake when he criticized CBS for censoring Colbert while using inappropriate language about Trump, though on the CBS-owned platform.)

SEE ALSO: Watch: Jon Stewart’s Cringeworthy Response to Colbert Cancellation Shows Why Late Night Is Failing

Now, how does the narrative hold up that Trump was pressuring the company to curtail Colbert’s criticism, but was perfectly comfortable with the far more outlandish attacks seen on the animated program? This week was the debut for “South Park” season 26, and in the first episode, President Trump is eviscerated at a level that a month’s worth of Colbert monologues could never achieve. He is insulted frequently, portrayed as the supreme narcissist, is shown having an embarrassingly small manhood, and is placed in scenes in bed with the Devil. 

    (Offense warning in clip.)

South Park takes aim at President Trump in their latest episode, linking him to the Epstein files and putting him in bed with Satan 👀 pic.twitter.com/BtpEyV06lk

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 24, 2025

To see the idiocy of their cancellation claims, all we need to do is apply their same logic to “South Park.” Can it not be said that seeing the show go hard against Trump immediately after penning a monster payout contract should be seen as them selling out to liberal studio heads? That is the fractured logic at play. This was all a business decision, and here is what you need to ask yourselves: If Colbert was turning a profit insulting the president, do you really think they would have ended his show?