Skydance deny involvement in Stephen Colbert’s cancellation

Skydance Media’s lawyer has responded to three U.S. senators who raised concerns about possible “bribery” in how the Trump administration approved its deal to acquire Paramount Global.

To recall, Paramount’s $16 million lawsuit settlement with President Trump was blamed for contributing to the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Skydance, a sister company to Paramount, was also suspected of being involved in the president’s deal.

In a letter dated July 21 to Skydance CEO David Ellison, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Ron Wyden asked a series of pointed questions about Skydance’s deal with Paramount.

One of the questions included: “Is there currently any arrangement under which you or Skydance will provide compensation, advertising, or promotional activities that in any way assist President Trump, his family, his presidential library, or other Administration officials?”

The letter also asked: “Were you or other Skydance executives involved in discussions about cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert?”

Skydance’s general counsel and co-president of business operations, Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, sent a reply on Thursday, July 31.

“Throughout its history and during the review of the proposed acquisition of Paramount,” McKinnon responded, according to Variety, “Skydance has fully complied with all applicable laws, including our nation’s anti-bribery laws.”

According to McKinnon, Skydance was “not involved” in CBS’s decision to cancel Colbert’s show.

“Paramount did provide notice of its decision to Skydance [about Colbert’s show being cancelled], but only after Paramount reached its own independent decision, and shortly before Paramount publicly acknowledged the cancellation,” she said.

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