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Sandra Oh Was So "Outraged" By Stephen Colbert's Cancellation That She Went On His Show And Did Something Shocking

"Can I just start by saying something that I feel like probably everyone here and everyone who is so supportive outside wants to say..."

Mychal Thompson
by Mychal Thompson

BuzzFeed Staff

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Sandra Oh called out Paramount and CBS during her visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on July 21 after news of its sudden cancellation.

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While the network said the cancellation was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," many celebrities, politicians, and fellow talk show hosts believe otherwise.

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The cancellation came only three days after Stephen publicly criticized CBS's parent company, Paramount, for a $16-million settlement with President Donald Trump after he accused 60 Minutes of "deceptive doctoring" in how they edited an interview with former vice president Kamala Harris. Paramount is also in the middle of a potential merger with Skydance, which requires the approval of Trump's administration.

Sandra — who is currently in Smurfs and Aziz Ansari's Good Fortune — isn't the first celebrity to share their opinion on The Late Show cancellation, but she is the first to literally curse them.

Person with wavy hair in a stylish white blouse, featuring pearl earrings and a delicate necklace, poses against a simple background
Kevin Winter / Getty Images

"Can I just start by saying something that I feel like probably everyone here and everyone who is so supportive outside wants to say — that I am so sorry and saddened and properly outraged for the cancellation of late night here. Not only for yourself and for this entire family who are here, but for what it means for what it is of where we are in our culture and what it means for free speech," she said.

A person wearing a chic black outfit gestures with hands up while appearing on a talk show set
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"So I just want to say sorry, and also if I can have your hand, to CBS and Paramount, a plague on both of your houses," she added, grabbing Stephen's hand.

Person sitting in a talk show studio, wearing a sleek black outfit, engaged in conversation
CBS

Stephen added, "I am very grateful," before Sandra said she had one more thing to say. "And also a pox on all those they serve."

A man in a suit gestures animatedly while speaking on a talk show set
CBS

"Thank you, Sandra Oh. That's very nice of you to say," Stephen replied. "Very kind, Sandra."

Two people seated on a talk show set. The person on the left is making a heart shape with hands, while the person on the right gestures animatedly
CBS

Sandra's curse might sound familiar because it's a catchphrase made famous in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet.

Two people in period costumes face each other, touching palms. They appear serious and focused on each other
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In Act 3, Scene 1, a duel occurs between Tybalt on behalf of the House of Capulet and Mercutio on behalf of the House of Montague. When Mercutio is defeated, he says, "A plague o' both your houses! / They have made worms' meat of me: I have it / And soundly too: your houses!"

Medieval scene with two men in elaborate attire and swords drawn, surrounded by onlookers, likely depicting a historic or literary duel
Kean Collection / Getty Images

Spoiler alert for the almost 500-year-old play: The curse comes true when a quarantine stops Romeo from learning that Juliet is not dead but asleep. In the end, Romeo ends his life, and when Juliet awakes, she ends her life, too.

Theatrical scene with two actors in Shakespearean costumes, one lying down with eyes closed, the other leaning over in a dramatic pose
Hulton Deutsch / Corbis via Getty Images

It makes perfect sense for the award-winning, theatrically trained actor who is set to star in Twelfth Night for Shakespeare in the Park later this year to recite a line from Romeo and Juliet to call out CBS and Paramount.

NBC / Via giphy.com

Watch Sandra on The Late Show below:

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