“Live long, and do your thing.” During the “Star Trek Universe Panel” at New York Comic Con on Saturday, it was announced that the famously nerdy late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert will be joining the cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as the Digital Dean of Students.
Colbert was recently the center of political controversy after his Emmy Award-winning late-night show was suddenly canceled by CBS. The attempted silencing of Colbert, who has never shied away from political humor, was allegedly a move by Paramount and Skydance to appease the Trump administration so its proposed merger could proceed.
Given that CBS owns the rights to the Star Trek franchise, the controversy has generated a lot of concern among the franchise’s many fans, who want to continue to see Gene Roddenberry’s vision of infinite diversity in infinite combinations at the center of one of their favorite science fiction franchises.
L-R: Karim Diané as Jay-Den Kraag, George Hawkins as Darem Reymi, Bella Shepard as Genesis Lythe, Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir, Zoë Steiner as Tarima Sadal and Kerrice Brooks as Sam in art for season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Miller Mobley/Paramount+Online, CBS’s decision to cancel The Colbert Show sparked much debate among Trekkies, a concern that was only compounded when Star Trek head honcho and executive producer, Alex Kurtzman, said that he wanted Starfleet Academy to appeal to “people from all sides of the political spectrum.”
“While I have read studies demonstrating that fictional stories can be used to create ’empathy and unity and peacemaking’ as Kurtzman said, I don’t think anyone who is part of Trump’s fascist party after watching old or new Trek is beyond hope when it comes to learning about tolerance, acceptance and inclusion from TV.
“I don’t want to say they are beyond hope—period—but they probably need more of an intervention than a TV show to change those beliefs. In my previous life doing criminal law, I have worked with the worst of the worst and know that most people can change, but that change generally requires a lot of work and personal introspection that would require more than what Kurtzman can do with a TV show that will be partially produced with an overseer from the Trump administration.”
While I stand by that statement, Colbert’s casting as the Digital Dean of Students gives me some hope for the future of a franchise with which I have such a deep parasocial connection. Although I’m sure the casting decision was made long before the Colbert controversy, nothing in the entertainment industry is final, and Kurtzman and company could have (not so) easily re-recorded all of Colbert’s lines.
Instead, Star Trek has chosen to stick with its original casting of Colbert, which makes an essential statement in the context of these difficult times (a.k.a. the impending fascist takeover of our media and the administration’s push for state-sponsored media).
In the clip (which you can watch below), Colbert begins, “Greetings and felicitations, New York Comic-Con! ‘Tis I, Stephen Colbert! Folks, I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you in person today, but I’m a perfectionist. I just didn’t have enough bunting for my Mugato cosplay. However, nothing could stop me from sharing this exciting news.”
For the uninitiated, the Mugato species are an alien primate-like creature with unicorn horns that are worth a lot of money in the in-universe black market. While these creatures first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “A Private Little War,” they made headlines when they were referenced again in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode “Mugator, Gumato,” where we learn that these “horned gorillas” can “make you hook up with your best friend’s sister.” Well, at least, that’s how the Mugato social system functions—not sure if those mind control properties have actually ever been practiced on humans.
“I am honored to announce that my beautiful voice will be joining Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as the Digital Dean of Students, where I’ll get to announce things like… ‘Attention, Ensign Krebs. Your Talaxian furfly has exited the Replicator and is now mating with itself. Please report to Science Lab 1 immediately,'” Colbert continued.
“I’m thrilled to join this universe that I have loved for so long, and unlike my on-camera castmates, I’m thrilled to join it without having to spend four hours in hair and makeup every day,” he said. “I’ll see you when Starfleet Academy premieres. Until then, enjoy the con. Live long. Do your thing.”
Watch the clip below:
Star Trek: Starfleet Acadmey will have a two-episode premiere on Thursday, January 15, 2026, on Paramount+.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more coverage from NYCC ’25.
English (US) · 