Lead: CBS will replace The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the day after its May 21 sign-off by airing Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed at 11:35 p.m. beginning May 22, followed at 12:35 a.m. by Allen-produced game show Funny You Should Ask. Allen’s company, Allen Media Group, is buying the two-hour block and will sell the advertising inventory, a structure the network says will improve late-night economics. The change follows a season in which Comics Unleashed already occupied the late slot and recalls the program’s use during the 2023 writers and actors strikes.
Key Takeaways
- CBS will air Comics Unleashed at 11:35 p.m. starting May 22; The Late Show’s final episode airs May 21.
- Funny You Should Ask will follow at 12:35 a.m.; Jon Kelley hosts that program.
- Allen Media Group is purchasing the two-hour late-night block and retains ad inventory to sell.
- Comics Unleashed has been placed in the late window during this season and during the 2023 writers and actors strikes.
- The arrangement is expected to make the late-night lineup profitable for CBS by shifting revenue risk to Allen’s company.
- Executive producers on both shows include Byron Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Jodi Miller and Peter Steen, with additional EPs credited on each series.
Background
Network late-night lineups have long balanced audience expectations, affiliate commitments and rising production costs. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert has occupied CBS’s 11:35 p.m. hour for years; the network announced its end and scheduled a May 21 sign-off before arranging the new block. Over recent seasons, CBS experimented with different series and programming windows to manage expense and ratings pressure in a fragmenting TV ecosystem.
Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed is a hybrid format that mixes short stand-up segments with brief host-led transitions; the series has a history of syndication and recurring late-night placements. Funny You Should Ask, a comedy-driven trivia format hosted by Jon Kelley, complements the showcase-style opening hour and is also produced under Allen’s banner. The pairing reflects a wider industry practice in which producers or studios buy air time (a “time-buy”) to gain network clearance while controlling advertising sales.
Main Event
On May 22, CBS will schedule Comics Unleashed at 11:35 p.m., immediately followed by Funny You Should Ask at 12:35 a.m., replacing The Late Show’s slot the day after its final broadcast. The network confirmed that Allen Media Group will purchase the two-hour block and carry responsibility for selling the available ad inventory during those hours. The move formalizes a lineup that had already been trialed this season and during labor disruptions in 2023 when late-night scheduling was in flux.
Comics Unleashed will continue in its existing format: a group of stand-up performers doing short topical sets curated by Allen. Funny You Should Ask pairs two contestants with a panel of comedians who provide input on trivia-style questions; Jon Kelley serves as the on-air host. Production credits list Byron Allen alongside Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Jodi Miller and Peter Steen as executive producers for both shows; additional producers are attached to each series in their announced roles.
Financially, the transaction is notable because Allen’s company sells the ad spots, effectively shifting revenue upside and some risk to the producer while reducing CBS’s direct programming costs. Industry observers note this structure can deliver immediate margin improvement for networks that choose to monetize late-night inventory through third-party time-buy deals.
Analysis & Implications
Strategically, CBS’s decision reflects a pragmatic approach to late night: rather than invest in an in-house replacement with uncertain returns, the network is outsourcing inventory to a proven comedy brand. That reduces overhead and guarantees some level of revenue via the time-buy, while giving Allen Media Group an expanded platform and control over ad monetization. For CBS affiliates and advertisers, the shift changes how audience delivery is packaged and sold.
For talent and the broader late-night ecosystem, the move has mixed signals. On one hand, replacing a marquee, personality-driven program with packaged comedy hours can mean fewer opportunities for long-form interview platforms and monologue-driven journalism. On the other hand, it broadens the range of commercially viable options networks can deploy when ratings or production costs make traditional talk shows harder to justify.
From Allen’s perspective, securing the 11:35 p.m. access builds on a long-running commercial strategy: owning programming time and ad inventory can create higher margins when content production costs are controlled. Observers will watch whether Allen uses the block as a long-term foothold to pursue a full-fledged late-night series or to steadily expand his company’s reach via paid network access deals.
Comparison & Data
| Night | Tonight (Before May 22) | Starting May 22 |
|---|---|---|
| 11:35 p.m. | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (through May 21) | Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen (starts May 22) |
| 12:35 a.m. | Regular late-night rotation / syndicated programming | Funny You Should Ask (starts May 22) |
The table contrasts the previous arrangement—anchored by The Late Show through May 21—with the two-hour Allen block beginning May 22. While networks typically measure late-night success by live-plus-same-day ratings and ad CPMs, this specific time-buy structure reconfigures the financial calculus: Allen Media Group controls pricing for the inventory it purchases, and CBS reduces direct programming expenditures.
Reactions & Quotes
Allen framed the move as both a continuation of his long-running platform for comedians and a vote of confidence from CBS. He emphasized the show’s origins and the opportunity to extend comedic exposure on network television.
Allen described Comics Unleashed as a long-established platform that gives comedians a stage; he said he appreciates CBS’s confidence in granting a two-hour comedy block.
Byron Allen / Allen Media Group (paraphrased)
Industry commentators pointed to the financial logic behind the deal: networks can stabilize late-night margins by selling time to producers who then monetize ad inventory directly.
A media analyst called the arrangement a practical revenue play that lowers network expense while allowing a producer to profit from ad sales during low-cost late-night hours.
Media analyst (industry commentary, paraphrased)
Allen has also publicly signaled interest in the 11:35 p.m. slot in past remarks, suggesting the current deal may be part of a longer-term plan to increase his company’s presence in network late night.
In October 2025 Allen said he had raised his hand if a show was wanted for the 11:35 slot, indicating a long-held goal to occupy network late-night time.
Byron Allen (public comment, paraphrased)
Unconfirmed
- It is not confirmed whether Allen intends to pursue a permanent, original-host late-night show in the 11:35 p.m. hour beyond the time-buy arrangement.
- No public figures for the expected advertising revenue or profit margin gains for CBS have been released; financial impact is estimated, not published.
- Details of any ongoing negotiations between CBS and Allen Media Group about future programming or rights were not disclosed at the time of reporting.
Bottom Line
CBS’s decision to install Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed at 11:35 p.m. and Funny You Should Ask at 12:35 a.m. marks a clear shift toward commercially driven late-night strategies. By selling airtime to Allen Media Group, CBS reduces production exposure and positions the network to improve late-night margins while giving Allen broader control over a national late-night platform.
The arrangement is pragmatic and low-risk for CBS but carries implications for the type of content viewers will see in the late hours: packaged comedy showcases may replace personality-led, interview-driven late-night programming. Observers should watch whether this model spreads to other nights or networks and whether Allen leverages the block into original long-form programming in the future.
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporter (entertainment news)