Hollywood Week: Paramount/Skydance, CBS Cancels Late Show, Emmy Nominations, American Idol Murders

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Saturday, 19 July 2025 11:37

Written by Janet Walker

The Paramount Skydance merger triggered a second 90 day extension, this week, allowing the Federal Communications Commission and its Trump Administration appointed Chairman, Brendan Carr, ample time to approve the $8 billion deal.

CBS Cancels Late Night

The CBS network, whose parent company is Paramount, announced this week it would be cancelling Late Night with Stephen Colbert at the end of its current season, citing the network's continued effort to reduce its overhead.

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"It called the cancellation "purely a financial decision. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount," the network said, describing it as an "agonizing decision," The Washington Post reported.  

The shows host, Stephen Colbert, who took over hosting duties from David Letterman in 2015, has been extremely vocal over the network's decision to settle it's legal disputes with Mr. Trump regarding a 2024 60 Minutes interview which he alleged presented him in bad light, calling the $16 million dollar payout a "bribe" in order to move along the Skydance/Paramount merger, which has been stalled at the FCC.

While the official word states the decision had no connection to the other shake-ups within the network, the timing clearly presents a connection between the delayed approval of the Skydance-Paramount deal, and the recent upheavals at 60 Minutes, which forced the long term producer, Bill Owens, to leave the network after six years as executive producer of the news talk program, citing interference with journalistic independence.

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Colbert fans, and his two chief ratings rivals, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and NBC's The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, each released statements over what appears to be the decision to cut the show, and not simply replace the host, which would scream impropriety,  with Kimmel stating, "Love you Stephen. Fuck you and all your Sheldons CBS," reported The Hollywood Reporter.

For those who do not know what a Sheldon means, according to the web, it means, whiny, annoying, obstinate, impossible, misogynistic, overbearing, and downright mean. Those "quirks" are not cute. Being called a Sheldon is not something to be happy about.

From Hollywood to Washington, the cancellation of Late Night with Stephen Colbert gained traction in the national conversation, with California Senator Adam Schiff and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren each stating "if Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons the public needs to know," as they also noticed the conspicuous timing of the show's demise, and Colbert's recent tirade over the decision to settle with Mr. Trump, calling it a big fat bribe.

Some decisions are so glaringly obvious, even those with no opinion can see the connection.

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Emmy Awards

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the Emmy nominations this week and as the awards nominations are peer awards, surprised with choices that are often considered, by the general public, as past the age of recognition.

This year, the ATAS proved age has no consideration with a record number of nominees above the traditional age limits of yesteryear including Outstanding guest actor in a drama series, Scott Glenn, at 86, for The White Lotus, Outstanding guest actress in a drama series, Jane Alexander, at 86, for Severance, Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series first-time nominee Harrison Ford, at 83, for Shrinking, Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series, and first-time nominee director Martin Scorsese, at 82, for The Studio and Outstanding lead actress in a drama series, Kathy Bates, at 77, for Matlock.

Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series nominee Martin Short at 75 for Only Murders on the Building, Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series Jean Smart at 73 for Hacks, Outstanding guest actor in a drama series Joe Pantoliano, at 73, for The Last of Us, and Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie, Deirdre O'Connell, at 73, for The Penguin.

Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series director Ron Howard at 71 for The Studio, double nominee Catherine O'Hara at 71, for Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series and in a comedy series for The Last of Us, and The Studio. The youngest performance ever nominated went to 15 year Owen Cooper for his shocking performance of a child killer in Adolescence.

"A slew of talent has received their first Emmy nominations this year. Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti for The Penguin; Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham for Adolescence; Jake Gyllenhaal for Presumed Innocent; Cooper Koch, Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story; Adam Brody and Kristen Bell for Nobody Wants This; J.K. Simmons for Die Hart: Hart to Kill; Tom Segura for Bad Thoughts; and Jason Isaacs and Scott Glenn for The White Lotus," reported The Hollywood Reporter.

The Emmys will be held live on Paramount+ and CBS September 14, 2025.

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American Idol Murders

Los Angeles detectives have made an arrest in the double homicide of American Idol's music supervisor, Robin Kaye, 70, and her husband, Thomas DeLuca, also 70. The couple where found in their Encino home, shot execution style, in separate rooms.

Detectives arrested, Raymond Boodarian, 22, who had been seen trying to jump the wall earlier in the week. Kaye and DeLuca were discovered after concerned family and friends requested a wellness check. The $4.5 million home has an 8 foot high wall with a spiked border, which made initial verification difficult, a helicopter flyover was also inconclusive, and police needed extra time to secure permission to enter. No drone efforts were used to secure a closer and lower visual check.

Detectives believe returned home unexpectedly and surprised the intruder who then executed them. It is estimated the couple had been killed on or about Friday, July 11, and not discovered until Monday, July 15.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a former member of the International Federation of Journalists.