Kamala Harris granted her first post-election TV interview to CBS’ Stephen Colbert, setting up a performative middle finger to the network from Donald Trump’s 2024 nemesis and the current late-night thorn in his side.
Harris’ The Late Show spot, scheduled for Thursday night, coincided with the announcement of her new memoir chronicling her short presidential campaign, 107 Days. It will be her 10th appearance on that show since she was first a guest as senator from California in 2018.
The sit-down marks a full-circle of sorts for the former vice president, whose interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes last year led to an all-out assault on the network from Trump and his administration.
Trump sued CBS and its parent company Paramount for $20 billion, claiming it deceptively edited the interview, and the Federal Communications Commission said the interview would factor into its review of Paramount’s merger with Skydance.
Paramount settled with Trump for $16 million earlier this month, and the FCC approved the Skydance merger last week.
But by choosing to grant her first interview to Colbert, whose top-rated show was canceled by CBS earlier this month as part of a “financial decision,” Harris joins a coterie of recent political guests who have used the show’s platform as a way of aligning with Colbert and sticking it to Trump.
A spokesperson for The Late Show did not respond to an immediate request for comment.
The Late Show has hosted Elissa Slotkin and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in the days since the cancellation news, and it is scheduled to host Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Alex Padilla next week. (NPR CEO Katherine Maher, another Trump target, was scheduled to appear on Thursday, though her appearance was bumped for Harris’ interview.)
“I watch you every night,” Shapiro told Colbert during an appearance last week before later accusing Trump of using the presidency to “turn his back on those communities that voted for him.”
CNN anchor—and 60 Minutes correspondent—Anderson Cooper also made a cameo on an episode last week to show solidarity with the comedian.
The night Colbert revealed the news to his audience, Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff used his appearance to speak directly to Trump. “Donald, p— off,” he said to the camera, before adding, “But Donald, before you p— off, would you release the Epstein files?”
Critics have tied CBS’ decision to cancel the show to Paramount’s settlement, as the announcement came three days after Colbert accused the company of paying a “big fat bribe” to get the merger approved. CBS has claimed the decision had nothing to do with Colbert’s merger.
Since the announcement, guests have used their appearances on Colbert’s show to condemn CBS and Paramount for the cancellation.
“So I just want to say… a plague on both of your houses,” actress Sandra Oh said about the companies during her sit-down with Colbert.
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