Family members of Stephen Colbert’s crew have alleged that they were forcibly removed from the taping of his final show in tears. The Late Show host wrapped up more than a decade on Thursday night, with nearly seven million viewers tuning in, yet loyal crew members say what should have been a warm farewell ended in distress.
Samantha Knox, wife of veteran crew member Hillary Knox, claimed she and her 12-year-old son were escorted out mid-show, leaving the child “shaking and in tears.” She stressed the decision was not Colbert’s and said: “Let’s be clear – this wasn’t Stephen. Had he known, I know he’d be furious.”
Hillary Knox, who has worked on both The Colbert Report and The Late Show for 17 years, had his family removed despite their efforts to stay out of the way. Samantha posted screenshots of text exchanges showing her alarm as security attempted to remove them, writing: “We hid in corners, behind desks, and against walls, to be there for our people.”
She continued: “Crew members are the backbone of the show, working endless hours. Nobody deserves to be subjugated by corporate PR hacks. Stephen values family—both blood and show—and I hope he finds out what was done.”
Eventually, the families were allowed back, but reports indicate that employees who protested were terminated shortly after the show. Emails from Paramount corporate HR confirmed the dismissals, allegedly due to standing up for visiting family members. Samantha defended the crew’s dedication: “We are the ones on the front lines, with our boots on the ground. That should never be overlooked.”
The show’s ending follows a controversial settlement between CBS owner Paramount and Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes interview. Byron Allen is set to take over the 11:30pm slot, promising a shift away from political content.
