CBS reaches agreement over Stephen Colbert’s use of Peanuts music on The Late Show | US news
On his last day hosting CBS’ The Late Show, Stephen Colbert played one of the most iconic songs from the Peanuts soundtrack.
“Oh no! I hope this doesn’t cost CBS anything!” Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine joked while performing the song Linus and Lucy on air. This was a recent dig at the network, which many fans believe canceled the show due to Colbert’s criticisms of the Trump administration.
It really cost CBS. Lee Mendelson Film Productions, the California company that controls jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi’s famed Peanuts catalog and has been increasingly embroiled in fights over unauthorized use of the music, announced a licensing deal with CBS for an undisclosed amount. The production company announced that it will donate all its income World Center KitchenDisaster relief non-profit food organization founded by chef José Andrés.
Colbert also donated $2.5 million to World Central Kitchen during the penultimate episode of the Late Show.
“LMFP found the use of music on The Late Show funny and entertaining and is proud to support World Central Kitchen’s mission,” said Jason Mendelson, president of the company. “The primary goal of our enforcement actions is to educate individuals, businesses, and government agencies about the need to obtain written licensing agreements to use music in a commercial setting.”
The company had recently taken legal action over unlicensed use of Guaraldi’s Peanuts music by a clothing accessories manufacturer, a video game manufacturer, a collectible auction house and the U.S. Department of the Interior, according to the company.
The Bay Area-based company was founded by Peanuts creator Charles M Schulz, animator Bill Melendez, and producer Lee Mendelson, who worked with Guaraldi on animated Peanuts specials. Schulz was born in Minnesota but moved to Santa Rosa, California, in 1969 and lived there until his death in 2000.
