Megyn Kelly Mocks Stephen Colbert Over Staffing Levels Following Show Cancellation

Megyn Kelly ridiculed Stephen Colbert for the size of his production team following the cancellation of his late-night television program.

The critique highlights the ongoing friction between independent media personalities and the traditional network television structures that defined the late-night era. As media consumption shifts toward digital platforms, the overhead costs of legacy broadcasting have become a frequent point of contention.

During a May 15, 2024, episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, broadcast from New York and aired on Sky News Australia, Kelly targeted the former host of The Late Show. She specifically questioned the necessity of the large workforce associated with his program, citing a staff of 200 members ^[1].

"Can you imagine having 200 staffers? I don't even know what I would make them do all day," Kelly said.

Kelly portrayed Colbert as out of touch with the current media landscape, suggesting that his expectations for production scale were excessive. She described the former comedian as "snooty," and said he does not think certain alternatives are good enough for him.

The comments come as Colbert departs from the late-night television circuit. Kelly used the interview to imply that the staffing levels were a sign of wasteful spending, a contrast to the leaner operations typical of independent digital shows.

Colbert has not issued a public response to the specific claims regarding his staff count or Kelly's characterization of his personality. The dispute underscores a broader cultural divide in the U.S. media market between the high-budget institutional model and the personality-driven independent model.