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Stephen Colbert held an emergency meeting Saturday to ease “Late Show” staffers’ fears about their showrunner, Chris Licht, being poached by CNN, Page Six has learned.
“There was a [regular] staff meeting [Friday] run by Licht, and he said nothing about CNN. It was a business as usual,” a source familiar with the meeting tells us.
But when news broke Saturday that Licht, 50, would be replacing Jeff Zucker as the president of CNN, we’re told Colbert, 57, called a 2 p.m. staff meeting on Zoom to “calm the panic.”
Colbert had originally planned to inform the staff about Licht’s departure this week, but buzzy news site Puck beat him to the punch when it first reported on the producer’s new gig.
The head writer of “The Late Show” started the Zoom meeting, and it was “rather jovial,” we’re told.
“There was a sense of relief from Stephen that he didn’t have to keep the secret anymore,” our insider shares, adding, “No mention was made of who would replace Chris as showrunner.”
Discovery — which is in the process of merging with CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. — officially announced Monday that Licht would be appointed CEO of CNN Global.
“I have known and admired Chris for more than 15 years and strongly believe he is the best person to lead CNN Global. … He is a highly principled individual who is trusted, hardworking and makes every organization stronger, more innovative and more cohesive,” David Zaslav, incoming CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity, especially at such an important time for our country and the world,” Licht added in a statement of his own.
“CNN has a rich and storied legacy, and I both promise to uphold it and build upon it. I am eternally grateful to Stephen Colbert and the peerless ‘Late Show’ team for an unforgettable run. I am looking forward to returning to my journalism roots,” he said.
Colbert had been considered a risky choice when he was named as David Letterman’s successor at CBS in 2014. But Licht helped lead the comic’s show to the top of the late-night ratings, eclipsing “Tonight Show” rival Jimmy Fallon at NBC.
Licht will now take over for 56-year-old Zucker, who resigned in February after failing to disclose his romantic relationship with former chief marketing officer Allison Gollust, who has also since stepped down.
Licht is expected to start in his new role at CNN in early May.
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