Byron Allen is preparing to step into the late-night spotlight following the end of Stephen Colbert’s run on CBS. According to a report from Variety published in April, CBS will replace The Late Show With Stephen Colbert at 11:35 p.m. ET post-local news slot with a time-buy arrangement involving Allen’s entertainment company. Under the agreement, back-to-back episodes of Allen’s long-running comedy panel series, Comics Unleashed, will move into the high-profile late-night position beginning after Colbert’s finale next month, a significant win for Byron Allen’s net worth and growing empire.
The deal reportedly extends through the 2026–2027 television season. In addition to the 11:35 p.m. slot, Allen will continue to lease the 12:37 a.m. hour for his syndicated comedy game show, Funny You Should Ask.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is scheduled to air its final episode on May 21, officially closing the curtain on his long-running position that began in 2015. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published May 6, Colbert said he sent his blessing to Byron on the big news.
“God bless him. I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He’s fascinating. You know his history with Carson?” Colbert said, referencing Allen becoming the youngest comedian ever to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at age 18. The appearance later opened the door for him to co-host the reality series Real People, according to Cable Fax.
“Anyway, when I found out, I wrote him the next morning and I said, ‘Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you. Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could drop Mr. Carson a note?’” Colbert joked. Johnny Carson famously hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992 before he died in 2005.
When asked how he felt about CBS choosing not to replace The Late Show with another traditional late-night format, Colbert responded bluntly:
“It’s none of my business.”
Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen has built a reputation as a fast-paced comedy showcase featuring some of stand-up’s biggest personalities. Hosted by Allen, the show brings together comedians to exchange stories, observations, and experiences from their careers and personal lives.
Over the years, the series has featured stars including Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Cedric the Entertainer, Wanda Sykes, D. L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy, Margaret Cho, George Lopez, Sherri Shepherd, Jo Koy, Arsenio Hall, and Sinbad.
Who is Byron Allen?
Allen’s rise in entertainment is unlike most modern media moguls because his foundation was built on comedy. Today, he serves as chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group, whose holdings include The Weather Channel (acquired in 2018), multiple broadcast television stations, digital and cable networks, and the streaming platform Local Now.
Speaking during Advertising Week New York, Allen reflected on how spending time at NBC studios as a teenager in the 1970s helped shape his understanding of television production and business operations. His mother, entertainment publicist Carolyn Folks, worked at NBC, giving him rare behind-the-scenes access to legendary productions.
“I would just go and watch them tape The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and I would just stand there, and I would watch Johnny do the show, and I watched his every move,” Allen recalled, according to Cable Fax. “Then I would walk across the hall and watch a guy named Redd Fox tape a show called Sanford and Son.”
Allen also remembered being invited to join a comedy writing team led by Jimmie Walker from Good Times. The group included future late-night icons, Jay Leno and David Letterman. Allen said he earned $25 per joke in those early days — enough to quit his paper route.
What is Byron Allen’s net worth?
Allen founded Allen Media Group, formerly Entertainment Studios, in 1993 with a focus on producing low-cost, syndicated television programming. The company’s first project, Entertainers with Byron Allen, featured celebrity interviews conducted by Allen himself. From there, the business expanded into courtroom television, scripted programming, film distribution, streaming, and digital media. Per Celebrity Net Worth, Byron Allen’s net worth is estimated at $1 billion, growing since the launch of Allen Media Group. According to Allen’s website, he grew his media company into an empire, garnering an estimated net worth of $450 million.
Today, Allen Media Group produces and distributes dozens of television programs and owns a library containing more than 5,000 hours of content. Among its best-known titles are Funny You Should Ask, Mathis Court with Judge Mathis, Fast Home Rescue, Comics Unleashed, and World’s Funniest Weather. The company also launched several 24-hour HD television networks.
In 2015, Allen expanded further into film by acquiring Freestyle Releasing, later renamed Allen Media Group Motion Pictures. The studio distributed the hit survival thriller 47 Meters Down, which became one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2017.
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