# CBS Will Pay for Unauthorized Use of ‘Linus and Lucy’ in ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Finale; Proceeds to be Donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-06-16 20:07 UTC · Category: Entertainment

## Executive Summary
Stephen Colbert's finale featured unauthorized 'Peanuts' music, prompting CBS to pay a fee directed to World Central Kitchen.

## Intelligence Brief
CBS is paying a fee for the unauthorized use of the song "Linus and Lucy" during the finale of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." The network has reportedly signed a deal to address potential legal issues regarding the copyrighted music. Coverage from outlets including Variety, TheWrap, and Billboard highlights that the proceeds from this payment will be donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen.


Alternet describes the move as a "parting gift" that forces the network to support Colbert's favored charity. Coverage does not yet specify the exact financial amount of the fee or the specific terms of the legal agreement reached between the network and the music rights holders.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo | Stephen Colbert made CBS pay for ‘Linus and Lucy’ music. The funds are now going to charity | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxOMXpZbng1UVJTN0tfTUdVemxtYmNjUW13ZUNoN2xGNFc2ZUFYTXNqem96R1hFeGxLc0pzZ1Q2M0hhdURhaVNpZFRKclZKbFFaZ0h6V0JBVVRGNXRHMmpRZGFvcXJ5ZV9lRFE3aU9QU21xMUUzYzdmWDV6Z3lDR3UxdnpxcVpxTWRvaTRmMTc2Z0ZlWXlHTkE?oc=5) |
| The Hill | Stephen Colbert made CBS pay for ‘Linus and Lucy’ music. The funds are now going to charity | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxOeTI1bVZ1WWtURlRjZDRfVy1zckdoUnQ2MWlSQktJejRuVHdXT0piQUJabnJjU1Q1OExiTU5rVVVOZnlvWl9ERWNoczhpUlc1cnVxMktDTkkxemFUT052czRWNGwzcEhTMU1QZ1k4NlVpUkFabGJJVzluMnlkMkxJYWRxS2dmem5MQnNMeUdWbXJ3d3k1WDRCYVBuQzVCSXNHSkHSAacBQVVfeXFMTjJfakF5ZDAyY0h2bzRCTHg0R1U4Z2VkOE1US2FqZTNqbEoyQnc4QmluMGtlejhHYWFJSVlCT0FlMk9aZUg5dHl0R3lxWVA0SFlUU0VzalJrRUtva3BJb3pmSk5zb29Ydm1yQmV3NGtaeGR1R2dVS3lfVXd0T0l5cmgyWDFIMmVheXlUd0hjcTFaa3NQQTFCOTF1NmFwVUdRM3k1djBmTWs?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | CBS to Pay for Unauthorized Use of ‘Linus and Lucy’ in Stephen Colbert Finale Show | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxPckpEX05RNU1YYWZqb3BJMEdPd0g3OWNTUzQ2bllfeVRuX1ZmUjQwMzZCM2VfTEd0Wjg5aGlJLVRKdmY4SldMTWQ3LVVkQWl5UkVjX0hYQUZyMFdSc0txZkducGFQdllzazFiN2l0MGE4STRlNWhiLXprM3BLWlhvWGF1QmZVc2pBRlhQZm5XWHlKMVZadDFNVEl3?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | CBS Pays Up After Colbert’s ‘Peanuts’ Music Prank on Final ‘Late Show’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxPQ21Kdjh0bkFxQVM2cG1uZ0FyUXBFYUpOMjFWZWlvWHlEUWRieWU5cjhfXy1nS0QtQnhhd09RLVZzeUhlTS1xc0R0ZW1VejRSUDRoZy1rWDh4cS1YbGNGWWJNNklhaXZwTEVZNVk1SGgxTFo1dUZpWldYTExFdkNzamdmV2NtWl9Pc3RCX0ZLdXpRWHVyNnpQbA?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Stephen Colbert’s Final CBS Joke Came With A Surprising Price | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxPemVucEZFOHp6WUtFaTdsMXN0ZElkN1RMVVZnWVR3Y1VxczlEeUxOUjB1NGJYM3VuOWtrUWk5MlF5Wm4xTG1qY2hBUjBZRnVWVGw3cnFoQmJMd1ZVQVcxb3NwUVlkcTBBSTdKbWdpcnVGeDF0NWtNRm5OSm9rRTdyY1ZvRExTSnVxekh0YkZ2SmFRam5PeHMzRw?oc=5) |
| The Daily Beast | Colbert Gets Last Laugh as CBS Stuck Paying for Finale Prank | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxQdFFHUy1wUGQ2OXRucDExLWtaOTJMSVlIbV90T3ZKbDRpMV9qZkNLbGNPRjVCZHE3NE0yS2VIdkxMR0N4ZUl4aVBRbm9qX2xQd0hYYU9xRGR6ZUNQT0VrSF8yeE9jZF82cnlCMjl0TV9WZmw1dE9SeXVyWVhMd1V1RUt2XzMzY05QOFpCbUdNay0zb1ZjZlNBVVZrUUJKSjVrX2c?oc=5) |
| Nerdist | CBS Forced to Pay Fine for Colbert Finale’s Music Usage | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFBVV95cUxNZjVuLU9ZQ0swQU9tRmMxLV9Hd0gtY0p4cHJKc1hIQVJhZ1hLd1N1SElyRjlpd0xDOWp6SnJYRmd2SFdqTkhiakFOYU4weUJXMDZGekxqcnh4bExDSlFRVFM3LXNVdTlSLXctSVQxaTZ2VmN6aWd3blpYQWlOeW8yanBjMjE1bmtDVlHSAY8BQVVfeXFMTWVwQUd6OUJXOVRVemNGUEU0MGZLd3otT0o3R1JKMWp5WTY3YzRhYVJFRXRMQjBPUzg4LXVMRXV5UElaQW1xMk5TdkhtZVFWSjQ0Z1JSNWJDTEhITEktUnFHejhpb3BNNHAtMFNMTHlFaWtrMmZ1Zld6UWxRNEtITXBHNWF4ejhpVFdIMkliR1U?oc=5) |
| Morning Honey | Stephen Colbert’s Final ‘Late Show’ Prank Leaves CBS With Licensing Bill | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxNOENpckZoeldzUVlFcGlFV3RGcEVIV2JtOC1XRFg0eGdrM0hzczV1RzZLRGpDVG15YnhvUjZDM25neEhwNXhnMG04clZpd2c1ZVRxbGJpaGdLMktlSDJabnducXoyeFlLR3ZyOXk2VDBZazFzeW81SEhsT3F0Q0lXU2xjSW4tRUMzcldyUVVNeFpLdV9pOUZwUko5SC15YXZ5a2c?oc=5) |
| | Cord Cutters News | CBS Agrees to Pay for Unauthorized Use of Peanuts Music in ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Finale | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiyAFBVV95cUxPZVA4Ul9mYnFrV2YxeGpudkIwZkxpeWNCaXhmaDR3T2NSdDFiU3Y3dkc4cmk4LUJNS0NEZWU3ZmtWQzBDdS1jMDBrTjJQQ2FwSU1tVDZFWjJiV0NhSm9BSHlWY1NuNTV1N1lwU3JobW1TWFdBVmdVd1FTcldUOUQ5RGk4M295VDgya0tDMl9iT3pWdllSamZYWFNUSFZCdFRCNUtqSGFGMDBEekcyQnU4LWZROW14VW0tNnktYXczTzcwX1RocHBVUNIB0AFBVV95cUxPWmx2YXhEeUJPOF82RkNIdzVtVTlzOGxwUXNQdlJ1NHI2NFZFY3VJRnFhV24yZHdhVTJvRXJaRm9XOHZRZHBEbUFDWG43ZzR4MmtiWll1MWgtQU5QODlZU2dnRXNfeHJuYWRqUXJOMlJnblhvblp3WFVsdEQ4WllZdFN0bVBMa2JDdWF) |
| AOL.com | CBS to Pay for Unauthorized Use of ‘Linus and Lucy’ in Stephen Colbert Finale Show | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFBVV95cUxNeVAwcnVUYk1FczRlY3hXOW1HMnpqRWttM3lib3VkUExNczBtZ0ZWQ24tdVQ3WmlrQlFWOXNJM3R5WTBzSXFVTmo1MXBrM1dCWmNvSVM0R0d1X2VYV3M4SlFZYlRodE1OSnlJN2lSTmQ1ajJaQm5FcV91S2VuUkxPTg?oc=5) |
| The New York Times | Colbert Used a ‘Peanuts’ Tune on His Finale. CBS Will Pay. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifEFVX3lxTE10eHBKc1pJbEJQbXNCMkhuNW9ZUk5Vdm9RaEowaUtOcHZid3JOeWJ0VHhTR0ZLSUtQeDMtYWZjUkVpN2lYWE1IV3pJZHJTMkVPZjlMU2x0VTd1UWZmamVVVjZfQjRlZVB4bVppTzktNlFZd1h0eXlqY1p3cGI?oc=5) |
| People.com | Stephen Colbert Trolled CBS During His Late Show Finale and Now the Network Is Paying for It | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitwFBVV95cUxQOHduSXpBUGQ2empRb1ROYXpSOGwyMVMyaUV5UDJCOGhBemtNWTdLRW01U0RKajA0SGhob3cxcE9oSzRLcDNLbzdIVzh6clRzRjd2YzB1VHpJV2Y3eTN5WUNtRTV4NTlMb0JBYU1OUzVtTFlFUHREaUhtNXdpWDN3cG56bEltZE5MN05UYjRUd0x1NVh4VlRuQTZMQXQ3Z09nNHVMd0VLb2NBT2Fqb25odDBibkRUOTA?oc=5) |
| New York Post | CBS settles with 'Peanuts' music owner after Stephen Colbert's lawsuit gag: 'I hope this doesn't cost CBS any money!' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3wFBVV95cUxOM193aEhkc3VlbFBzcXE1ZEtXeDNuek9uNE5uSlgxQ2tIb0VjbmI1Rm9FX3lrTDIxMmYyM1ZXZWdVeXBFal81d182eUJPY1ZFV0o0MC1wclJ0NG1xQlBVa2FERlJhSTNlT2VieHVrVEk5N0k4Mk84U1pDNG5rUWVhQm9ocnBzY2RpMm5HVXdySkpkYlFycFM4S3o4MkNSNVRJeXB2Rzlad3VLekRxZkZsUHV6Q3VqbVJTOXF5c3RieUM4b01vRWNubjVBTUZDT0U2VnRWLXRvSXNMdFVzVS1r?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | CBS reaches agreement over Stephen Colbert’s use of Peanuts music on The Late Show | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxPVThYbk1JTE1fVHdNTUl6S1lyc19KdUFvNTdKYks0T05PUFJheHg1ajRmWkU4QjFEZWNreW5KSWdsTGt4MGZ2OG16UmFFTUMtdDdQN01FY3ZhSEZfQ3kzckdyVFYzMzF5VVZCTXotSGxHY1JEQWRLWTZKcGllb1QtQVdDYk15Q3JCZmxDZXhNM253bzg?oc=5) |
| Entertainment Weekly | CBS will pay for Stephen Colbert's Peanuts music licensing gag from Late Show finale — but there's a twist | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxQTWhYdVNyMlFWZG5TbUc3d294QnBIMUFSQXRZdVM3SDIyOW5IZ005YkM1R20yTEFReE9qZW1RaW1lSC0xcWE0Y3pYQWVDa1BWN3NMM0dZQ2NRMjFVSXFlVEFjLWpRMFdPdHlSTV9neU5HWmlVVUlqTmxXNlF4UnkyTHhSOFZaOHRZRFFmdWtnR2lJMVpBS3hhWEdtdm4xWFNycFE?oc=5) |

---
*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-06-16/cbs-will-pay-for-unauthorized-use-of-linus-and-lucy-in-the-late-show-with*