Stephen Colbert PERFECTLY Trolls CBS On His Way Out - The Damage Report

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Nearly a month after Stephen Colbert mocked CBS over the use of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” music during The Late Show finale, the network is now facing the financial fallout from the unauthorized song use. John Iadarola and Sharon Reed break it down on The Damage Report. - 06/17/2026.


Read more here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/06/16/cbs-licenses-peanuts-song-stephen-colbert-late-show-finale/90577044007/

"Nearly a month after Stephen Colbert joked during "The Late Show" finale that he hoped the band's unauthorized use of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" song "doesn't cost CBS any money," the financial ramifications for the network are being revealed.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc., which owns the catalog of the late jazz musician Vince Guaraldi, announced Tuesday, June 16, that it struck a licensing agreement with CBS for the track "Linus and Lucy's" inclusion in the May 21 "Late Show" episode.

The "humorous segment," in which Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine performed the theme song, required licensing the music from LMFP, the company said in a news release."