Stephen Colbert has been in full stride during both political conventions this month, bringing back the political satire he was known for during his time on The Colbert Report. But while his sharp political commentary might be here to stay, last night Colbert brought us very sad news: that it’s time to say goodbye to the character of “Stephen Colbert.”
Apparently some of Comedy Central’s corporate lawyers complained after the host brought back his Colbert Report political pundit alter-ego with Jon Stewart for a live broadcast show for the Republican National Convention last week. The host told his audience Wednesday that Comedy Central claims the character of Stephen Colbert, from The Colbert Report, is its intellectual property and asked that he stop playing him on CBS.
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“What can I do? The lawyers have spoken,” he said on The Late Show Wednesday. “I cannot reasonably argue that I own my face or name.”
Instead, The Late Show host complied with the lawyers’ demands and decided to bring on the old character’s “identical twin cousin,” “Steven Colbert,” who may look and talk and act exactly like the old Colbert, but is really a different person.
It seems like a more political Stephen Colbert on The Late Show is here to stay. Whatever version we get, we’re happy to have him.
Read: Stephen Colbert’s Transition into the ‘Real’ Stephen Colbert Has Begun
