CBS’ Late-Night Wake-Up Call

Last week, Jimmy Kimmel received a big assist from the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, as ratings for his show surged following ABC’s coverage of the NBA Finals. The scoreboard didn’t look nearly as favorable on CBS, where “Comics Unleashed,” the comedy panel show fronted by Byron Allen has replaced the former late-night king Stephen Colbert.

Recent late-night results come with an asterisk, since the NBA playoffs have emerged as an enormous draw, funneling viewers who might not stick around once they’re over in Kimmel’s direction. Yet the comic and Disney-owned network look destined to benefit from the void left by Colbert, another host who gleefully lampooned a very thin-skinned Donald Trump, especially with David Ellison-owned CBS experiencing a precipitous decline in the 11:30 p.m. time slot.