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Seth Meyers Mocks Ellison-Owned CBS & Trump At NBCUniversal Upfronts
Seth Meyers took aim at the competition Monday morning during NBCUniversal‘s upfront presentation to advertisers in New York City. “We have taken down CBS,” said the late-night host, referring to the fact that, for the first time in nearly two decades, NBC rather than CBS will take the broadcast crown for total viewers in the TV season. “Well, the Ellisons did, but I like to think we helped.” Meyers — who is actually set to appear on CBS Monday night with fellow the Strike Force Five members Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and John Oliver to kick off the final week of The Late Show with his friend and network rival Stephen Colbert — kept the digs coming by taking some guesses as to how the Ellisons’ close ties to the Trump administration might become more apparent on Paramount’s TV networks in the coming years. “Seriously, what’s going on over there? They’re so in the pocket for Trump that I heard, next year, Survivor is in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. Meyers also pointed out that, unlike NBCU’s flashy two-hour presentation at Radio City Music Hall, Paramount opted for a much quieter presence with advertisers. The company hosted several smaller presentations across the country, including in L.A. and New York City, as well as a few intimate dinners with clients and talent. “CBS did not hold an upfront presentation this year because ‘CBS up front’ just describes how they paid Trump to drop the lawsuit,” he joked. While Paramount certainly took the brunt of the jokes in Meyers’ 10-minute laugh session, the comedian spread the love around quite a bit to NBCUniversal’s other competitors — and even lobbed a few wisecracks at his own employers. The comedian, of course, mentioned Paramount’s winning bid to buy Warner Bros., adding, “Comcast actually made a bid too, but no one thought we were actually gonna get it. It was kind of like that one friend who always pretends to reach for his wallet after the check comes. ‘No, no. Comcast, you can get it next time, bud.'” Speaking of the eventual joint streaming service that would combine Paramount+ and HBO Max once the studios merge, Meyers added: “So now you’ll get all your favorites in one place … speaking of streamers, Comcast said on its most recent earnings call that Peacock is approaching profitability in the same way Kevin Hart is approaching seven feet tall.” “But it’s an exciting time for Peacock. Season 8 of Love Island USA is set to premiere in June, so please, please get the HPV vaccine. If you’re th...
Seth Meyers Drags Trump, David Ellison's CBS in Fiery Upfront Monologue
Seth Meyers kicked off upfronts week with several scathing jokes pointed at Donald Trump and David Ellison’s CBS during NBCUniversal’s Monday morning presentation. Closing out NBCUniversal’s upfronts, the “Late Night with Seth Meyers” host opened his monologue with an all-too resonant joke that he might be the next late night host — after his peers Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert — to be targeted by Trump’s FCC. “Hey, good morning, everybody. I’m Seth Meyers, or as the FCC calls me next,” he said. “Let me start by being upfront with you. Things could be going better. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of good news: NBC was the number one broadcast television network for the 2025-2026 season,” he continued. “After over a decade, we have taken down CBS. Well, the Ellisons did, but I’d like to think we helped. Seriously, what’s going on over there? They’re so in the pocket for Trump that I heard next year’s ‘Survivor’ is in the Strait of Hormuz.” Meyers continued by saying CBS did not hold an upfront presentation this year “because it’s CBS up front — just describes how they paid Trump to drop the lawsuit,” referring to Trump’s suit against “60 Minutes,” which was settled for $16 million. It wasn’t just Paramount and CBS at which the late night host threw some shade; he also spread the love to some of the streamers. “Netflix is hosting its upfronts that appear on the Hudson River because once the Netflix show hits two seasons, that’s where they dump its body,” he quipped. In true upfronts late night host fashion, NBCUniversal enjoyed some roasting as well, mostly as it relates to the media conglomerate’s financial status. “Paramount-Skydance did beat out Netflix to buy Warner Brothers. Comcast actually made a bid too, but no one thought we were actually going to get it,” Meyers said. “It was kind of like that one friend who always pretends to reach for its wallet after the check comes: ‘No, no, Comcast, you can get it next time, bud.’ ‘Thanks. I’m a little light after buying the NBA.’” And later on, Meyers directed those comments at spin-off company Versant: “And if you’re from out of town and you get hassled by someone for money on the subway, don’t panic. That’s just the Versant afterparty.” That roasting also extending to NBCUniversal’s recent earnings call that saw the company report Peacock is “approaching profitability,” which Meyers likened to “the same way Kevin Hart is approaching seven feet tall.”
Seth Meyers at Paramount Theatre, Denver LIVE [5/8/2026]
Seth Meyers at Paramount Theatre, Denver LIVE [5/8/2026] Live 2300 16 subscribers Subscribe
Seth Meyers' Best Jokes From NBC Upfront, Ranked
Seth Meyers skewered David Ellison, Donald Trump and even NBC in his annual upfronts performance.
