Stephen Colbert during Thursday's final episode of 'The Late Show.' Scott Kowalchyk ©2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. A month ago, Stephen Colbert snuck in one final gag against CBS during the final episode of The Late Show, airing an unlicensed Peanuts song as he joked that “I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money!”
A month later, CBS is now paying up, as the network signed a licensing agreement with Lee Mendelson Film Productions over the track’s use, with all the unspecified proceeds going to World Central Kitchen.
“LMFP found the music’s use on The Late Show funny and entertaining, and is proud to support World Central Kitchen’s mission,” Jason Mendelson, Chairman of LMFP, said in a statement on Tuesday. “A principal goal of our enforcement actions is to educate individuals, businesses, and government entities about the need to obtain written license agreements to use music in a commercial setting.”
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CBS didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.
Mendelson’s donation stays in line with Colbert, who had donated $2.5 million to World Central Kitchen as well before the show ended.
Colbert told the now-costly joke during his final Late Show episode in May during his “Meanwhile” segment, noting how Mendelson had launched several legal actions earlier that week over the unauthorized use of composer Vince Guaraldi’s iconic jazz score earlier that week.
“Peanuts is a powerful brand and corporation in and of itself, anyone illegally using that music is going to have to play through the nose,” Colbert said as Louis Cato and his band immediately began performing Peanuts theme “Linus and Lucy.” “Louis, is the band right now playing the same Peanuts music I just said people are being sued for using without permission? Oh no, I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money.”
While Colbert’s show ended, he didn’t stay off the airwaves for long, going on public access television 24 hours later in Michigan, bringing out the likes of Jack White and Jeff Daniels.
“I want to be remembered as a comedy show,” Colbert told The Hollywood Reporter in a cover story interview when asked about what he wants the show’s longer-lasting legacy to be. “We harvest laughter for a living, and ultimately that’s the thing I want more than anything else. I just want to make the audience laugh.”
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