CBS has officially announced its plan to fill the late-night void left by Stephen Colbert's departure in May, turning to media mogul Byron Allen and his comedy programming. The network revealed on April 6 that Colbert's time slot will be occupied by back-to-back episodes of Allen's long-running series Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen, followed by his game show Funny You Should Ask.
Allen, who has publicly expressed interest in the slot since last October, shared his enthusiasm in a statement. "I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love—make people laugh," he said. "I appreciate CBS' confidence in our shows because the world can never have enough laughter."
The arrangement represents a significant shift in late-night television economics. Rather than a traditional production deal, Allen's company is executing a "time buy," paying CBS for the airtime and retaining control over advertising sales. This guarantees revenue for the network regardless of viewership numbers—a factor CBS cited last July when canceling The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, calling it "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."
Allen acknowledged the financial dynamics in an August interview with the Los Angeles Times, noting of his previous 12:35 a.m. slot, "It's not cheaper. It's zero."
"Fifty years, I've been waiting for this moment. Definitely, I’m going for it." —Byron Allen, during an Advertising Week panel last October
A Comedy Veteran's Ascent
Allen's path to late-night prominence began decades ago. Born in Detroit, he moved to Los Angeles as a child when his mother became NBC's first intern. Immersed in television culture, he started performing stand-up at the legendary Comedy Store at age 14, where he was discovered by Good Times star Jimmie "J.J." Walker.
His breakthrough arrived just before high school graduation when he became the youngest comedian to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. This led to hosting NBC's Real People while balancing film studies at USC and opening concerts for music icons like Lionel Richie and Dolly Parton.
Building a Media Empire
Allen's business acumen emerged early. "I always figured it wasn’t show business, it was business show," he explained in a 2019 interview. "I always focused on the business side."
He founded what would become Allen Media Group in 1993, pioneering the direct syndication model by personally pitching his interview series Entertainers With Byron Allen to television stations nationwide. Through persistent "smiling and dialing for dollars," he built a portfolio that now includes court shows like Mathis Court with Judge Mathis, various films, and The Weather Channel, which he purchased for $310 million in 2018.
The Comedy Formula
Comics Unleashed, which originally aired 233 episodes between 2006 and 2016, features Allen hosting a rotating panel of comedians in a format designed for longevity. "I tell the comedians we're shooting I Love Lucy," Allen told the Los Angeles Times. The material emphasizes "evergreen" humor that avoids politics in favor of family-friendly and advertiser-friendly comedy.
The show has featured notable comics including Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, and Nate Bargatze, with new episodes filmed last year. Allen aims to recreate the post-performance camaraderie he experienced early in his career. "What I remember most," he recalled, "is that comedians were at their funniest afterwards when we went to Canter's Deli."
Following each Comics Unleashed episode, viewers will transition to Funny You Should Ask, a game show hosted by Jon Kelley where comedians test their wit. Allen's wife, Jennifer Lucas, serves as a producer on both programs, continuing their professional collaboration that began when they met at his company in 2001.
As CBS reshapes its late-night landscape, Allen's dual-show strategy represents both a business innovation and a homecoming for a comedian who has spent five decades preparing for this spotlight.