Conan O’Brien Told Stephen Colbert What Could Happen After Talk Show Ends

Conan O'Brienis back in the late-night talk show business conversation afterStephen Colbertshared a private piece of advice. "There's a lot of fun to be had when this is over," O'Brien reportedly told him. O' Brien is referred to as "the patron saint of ex-talk show hosts" byColbert. The late-night veteran was not trying to push Colbert out. Instead, he was describing life after a talk show, from new projects to more freedom, as the format faces fresh pressure across TV.

Stephen Colbert says Conan O'Brien urging him to 'quit' talk show was actually 'kind'

According to The Hollywood Reportercover storydated March 9, 2026, Stephen Colbert recalled a conversation from "a few Emmys ago." Colbert said Conan O'Brien had been telling him "to quit for years." Then he quoted the advice directly. O'Brien told him, "I want you to know there's a lot of fun to be had when this is over, so don't feel like you need to stay." Colbert said, "It almost hurt my feelings, but he was just being kind."

Meanwhile, the context behind that exchange wasConan O'Brien's own exit from late-night in 2021. He retired from the format while it was in dramatic free fall. Since then, the former "Late Night," "The Tonight Show," and "Conan" host built a hit podcast, landed a $150 million SiriusXM deal, and fronted the Emmy-winning travel series "Conan O'Brien Must Go." That is why his take carries weight. He is not theorizing about life after a talk show. He already rebuilt one and was living it.

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However, the same report showed why O'Brien's advice matters more now. The Hollywood Reporter said CBS announced in July that it was canceling "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," calling it "purely a financial decision." But netizens connected it to an earlier Colbert criticism ofPresident Donald Trump.

Then it noted wider late-night pressure, including Disney briefly pulling "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in September before restoring it. Although Conan's approach to hosting was never political, he still said, "I'm of the mind that yes, these shows are going away and will become something else." Even so, he added, "I don't like when other malign forces intervene, because they're trying to curry favor. That pisses me off."

The postConan O'Brien Told Stephen Colbert What Could Happen After Talk Show Endsappeared first onReality Tea.

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March 10, 2026

Conan O’Brien Told Stephen Colbert What Could Happen After Talk Show Ends

Conan O'Brienis back in the late-night talk show business conversation afterStephen Colbertshared a private piece of advice. "The...

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Taylor Swift Left Hanging Over ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Trademark

Taylor Swift's legal process behind the branding has reportedly hit a small obstacle. Federal records show that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has paused a trademark application linked to Swift's phrase "The Life of a Showgirl." The filing was submitted by the singer's company, TAS Rights Management LLC.

Taylor Swift facing roadblock over 'The Life of a Showgirl' trademark is temporary

The pause in Taylor Swift's federal application process does not mean the trademark request for the phrase "The Life of a Showgirl" has been denied. Instead, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) placed the application on hold while it evaluates two earlier marks that could potentially conflict with Swift's proposed title.

One of the marks prompting the delay is "Confessions of a Showgirl," a phrase registered in 2015 by Las Vegas performer Maren Wade. According toUSA Today, Wade originally filed the application in 2014. The USPTO later granted federal protection for the title in connection with entertainment services, including live performances, stage productions, television programming, and digital publications such as blogs and e-zines.

Because both Wade's trademark and Swift's proposed title use the phrase "of a showgirl," trademark examiners believe people might think the two brands are connected. This could cause confusion about whether they come from the same source.

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A second factor affecting Swift's filing involves a separate trademark application for the single word "Showgirl." In December 2024, Harlem Brands Inc. applied to register "Showgirl" for a line of perfumes and related fragrance products. That application has already progressed through examination and received a Notice of Allowance.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerbenexplained in a recent blog postthat roughly one in five trademark applications encounters a similar outcome of refusal during the review process. "This type of refusal is fairly common. About 20% of all trademarks filed with the USPTO receive a similar refusal," he stated.

"The main point of this argument will be to persuade the USPTO that consumers are unlikely to think that 'Confessions of a Showgirl' and 'The Life of a Showgirl' come from the same source," Gerben further wrote. In Swift's case, the attorney noted that the two titles may communicate separate ideas. "Confessions of a Showgirl," he said, reads like "a personal narrative or tell-all account," while "The Life of a Showgirl" suggests "a broader portrayal of the experience itself."

The postTaylor Swift Left Hanging Over 'The Life of a Showgirl' Trademarkappeared first onReality Tea.

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March 10, 2026

Taylor Swift Left Hanging Over ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Trademark

Taylor Swift's legal process behind the branding has reportedly hit a small obstacle. Federal records show that the United States Pate...

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FAA issues ground stop for all JetBlue planes

JetBlue Airways has requested for a ground stop at all destinations, the US Federal Aviation Administration said in an advisory on Tuesday.

The ground stop was issued at the request of the airline, the FAA notice said, without adding further details. JetBlue did not immediately respond to request for comment.

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A ground stop is an air traffic control measure that temporarily halts flights usually due to safety, weather or operational issues.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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March 09, 2026

FAA issues ground stop for all JetBlue planes

JetBlue Airways has requested for a ground stop at all destinations, the US Federal Aviation Administration said in ...

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Britney Spears documentary director says discourse after singer's DUI arrest 'feels painfully familiar'

Filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, who made a documentary aboutBritney Spears, 2021'sBritney Vs Spears, says discussions about the "Womanizer" singer since her arrest last week are nothing new.

"Watching the way people are talking about Britney again feels painfully familiar," Carr wrote on social media. "Not long ago, we collectively realized she had been living inside what many of us believed was an unjust conservatorship. A system where people around her were financially benefiting while she was being controlled. That was real. That mattered. And it took a massive public effort for the world to acknowledge it."

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Carr's film, which she collaborated on with journalist Jenny Eliscu, investigated Spears' quest to control her own affairs, while locked in a legal conservatorship overseen by the father, Jamie Spears, which was put in place in 2008, when she was in her 20s. It was finallylifted in 2021.

The court's decision to do away with the legal arrangement followed public outcry, via the #FreeBritney movement and reports of exactly how much she had been limited by the conservatorship, including that of Carr and Eliscu.

"Recent events do not suddenly rewrite that history," Carr wrote in her post. "They do not validate what was done to her."

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She continued, "Britney is a woman, a beautiful and insanely talented woman, who has been through more than most of us could imagine while the entire world watched. Maybe the lesson is not to swing from sympathy to judgment depending on the news cycle. Maybe the lesson is compassion."

The Grammy winner wasarrestedMarch 4 on suspicion of DUI. She was picked up by the California Highway Patrol in Ventura County, Calif., about 9:30 p.m., according to records from the sheriff's office. She was then booked and released at 6 a.m. Thursday.

"I am rooting for her. Always," Carr said. "And you should be too."

Following Spears' arrest, her rep said in a statement to PEOPLE, "This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable. Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life."

The rep added that Spears' loved ones hope the pop icon "can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time." There were plans for her adult sons Sean Preston and Jayden James, whom she shares with ex Kevin Federline, to spend time with her.

"Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being," the spokesperson said.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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March 09, 2026

Britney Spears documentary director says discourse after singer's DUI arrest 'feels painfully familiar'

Filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, who made a documentary aboutBritney Spears, 2021'sBritney Vs Spears, says discussions a...

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John Lithgow hails Stephen Colbert as 'beloved national treasure'

Stephen Colbertwill be missed when hisThe Late Showleaves TV in May.

ActorJohn Lithgowreminded the late-night host of that Monday when he stopped by the CBS staple.

TheConclaveactor and poet read Colbert some words on the situation:

"The time has arrived/For us all to prepare/For the doleful departure of Stephen Colbert," Lithgow began. "How will we last in the gaping black hole/That's left in the absence of his merry soul?"

Colbert and his series are scheduled to end in just over two months. The franchise debuted with David Letterman as host in August 1993. Colbert took over in September 2015, and the final episode will be Thursday, May 21.

Colbert announced the news during a taping ofLate Night With Seth Meyersin January. It followed CBS' revelation in July that the showwould not returnfor another season.

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"The Late Show With Stephen Colbertwill end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season," the network said in a statement. "We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retireThe Late Showfranchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television."

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The statement added that the cancellation was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."

Questions about the endof the series and the timing of it have persisted, though.

President Donald Trump infamouslycelebratedafter the news broke.

"I absolutely love that Colbert got fired," Trump wrote on social media. "His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once greatTonight Show."

Lithgow, who's known for his anti-Trump works, pointedly addressed the end of the series.

"So why is he canceled?/Why trash all the pleasure?/Why yank off the air this beloved national treasure?" Lithgow asked. "Stephen's tale is a lesson for all who come after/Beware of a boss with thin skin and no laughter."

Lithgow suggested that Colbert would land in a better spot eventually.

"But don't mourn for Stephen/He's going to be fine/He'll only get better/Like aging fine wine," he said. "With a talent so rich and discernment so rare/There's much more to come from the mighty Colbert."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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March 09, 2026

John Lithgow hails Stephen Colbert as 'beloved national treasure'

Stephen Colbertwill be missed when hisThe Late Showleaves TV in May. ActorJohn Lithgowreminded t...

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