Colbert gives sendoff as his producer gets ready to lead CNN
ABC News
Stephen Colbert gave a heartfelt sendoff to his show's producer, Chris Licht, who was appointed Monday as the new chairman and CEO of CNN
NEW YORK -- As his executive producer, Chris Licht, prepares to take over as the new chief of CNN, Stephen Colbert joked late Monday that its name will now stand for Colbert News Network.
Despite some expected ribbing, Colbert offered a heartfelt sendoff, telling Licht that “I love you.”
After a career that had been entirely in news, Licht was appointed executive producer of the “Late Show” in 2016 after a rocky first year with Colbert at the helm. He steadied the ship behind the scenes and the show jumped to the top of the ratings, propelled by the host's biting takedowns of then-President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that Licht will replace Jeff Zucker as head of CNN, likely in May. That's when Discovery's corporate takeover of Warner Media, CNN's parent company, is expected to be complete.
