Stephen Colbert, the host of The Late Show, has explained why he became more political on the show after leaving The Colbert Report and taking over for David Letterman in 2015. He initially planned to be less political but began introducing more political jokes after taking over. Colbert credits his political leanings to his friends Paul Dinello and his producers, who suggested that while he was having fun with the audience, political humor was the audience's preferred part. This shift towards political commentary has been met with criticism from the Trump administration, particularly as they don't like people to laugh at them. Last year, CBS announced it was cancelling The Late show due to a financial decision, although the final episode of the show will air on May 21.