Music Copyright Settlement Benefits Charity
CBS Settles 'Linus and Lucy' Licensing Dispute, Donates Proceeds to World Central Kitchen
Key Points
LMFP’s infringement campaign surrounding the Late Show stunt included four separate federal lawsuits filed on May 20—targeting GameMill Entertainment, Heritage Auctions, Buckle-Down Inc., and the U.S. Department of the Interior—and the suits were filed in New York and Washington, D.C.
Variety reported that CBS’s resolution was a “confidential settlement” to compensate LMFP for the unauthorized “Linus and Lucy” use in the May 21 finale.
In the on-air segment that led to the licensing deal, Colbert told viewers that LMFP had been “diligently going after unlicensed uses” of Guaraldi’s music, framing the performance as a live reference to the broader enforcement push.
LMFP Chairman Jason Mendelson said in a statement accompanying the agreement that “LMFP found the music’s use on The Late Show funny and entertaining,” while reiterating that a “principal goal” of its enforcement actions is to educate about obtaining written licenses for commercial use.
World Central Kitchen’s role was further described as food relief for “conflict zones and during humanitarian crises,” tying the donation to the nonprofit’s work beyond disaster relief alone.
CBS has agreed to pay a licensing fee to Lee Mendelson Film Productions after Stephen Colbert deliberately played Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" without permission on the May 21 series finale of *The Late Show* — Variety described the deal as a "confidential settlement." The stunt was a parting shot: Colbert told viewers he hoped the performance didn't "cost CBS any money," knowing full well it would.
The proceeds from the deal will be donated to World Central Kitchen, the food-relief nonprofit. That extends a streak of generosity — Colbert and the show had already donated $2.5 million to the same organization just one night before, on May 20, according to Music Business Worldwide.
How Colbert Engineered a Charity Payment on His Way Out
During the finale's "Meanwhile..." segment, Colbert told the audience that LMFP had been "diligently going after unlicensed uses" of Guaraldi's music. He then cued bandleader Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine to play "Linus and Lucy" live — fully unlicensed. "Oh no! I hope this doesn't cost CBS any money!" he joked, per Primetimer.
Legal experts say the segment almost certainly did not qualify as fair use. It was a commercial broadcast and the music served as entertainment, not parody or news commentary. By settling, CBS effectively acknowledged that, according to TV Insider.
LMFP Filed Four Federal Lawsuits the Day Before the Finale
The timing of Colbert's stunt was deliberate. On May 20 — just one day before the finale — LMFP filed four federal copyright infringement lawsuits in New York and Washington, D.C. The targets were GameMill Entertainment, Heritage Auctions, Buckle-Down Inc., and the U.S. Department of the Interior, according to Music Business Worldwide.
The suits ranged from serious to almost absurd. The Department of the Interior was sued over an unauthorized holiday social media post using Guaraldi's arrangement of "O Tannenbaum." GameMill was accused of writing music "eerily similar" to Guaraldi's work for a 2025 Snoopy video game — LMFP is seeking $300,000 in that case, per Reality Tea.
LMFP Says the Deal Is a Lesson, Not Just a Payout
LMFP Chairman Jason Mendelson struck a light tone about the CBS situation. "LMFP found the music's use on *The Late Show* funny and entertaining," he said in a statement. But he made the broader point clear: a "principal goal" of the lawsuits is to teach businesses and government agencies to get written licenses before using the music commercially, according to CeleBitchy.
The *Peanuts* music catalog is no small asset. The *A Charlie Brown Christmas* soundtrack has sold 5 million copies in the U.S. alone, per Reality Tea. LMFP's lead attorney Marc Jacobson said the lawsuits aim to "halt a pattern of infringement that threatens to diminish the integrity of these protected works."
World Central Kitchen Gets the Last Word — and the Money
All proceeds from the CBS licensing deal go to World Central Kitchen, which provides food relief in conflict zones and during humanitarian crises. Combined with the $2.5 million donation from May 20, the finale week turned into a significant fundraising moment for the nonprofit, according to CeleBitchy.
The CBS settlement amount was not disclosed. But the outcome gave all sides something: CBS avoided a public lawsuit, LMFP reinforced its licensing message with a high-profile example, and a charity walked away with real money. As Primetimer noted, it may set a quiet precedent for how outgoing late-night hosts say goodbye.
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