Stephen Colbert kicked off his Thursday night episode of The Late Show with a bold show of support for fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, declaring, “Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel.” The comedian, who’s wrapping up his run on the CBS show, turned the entire taping in Midtown Manhattan into a tribute to Kimmel after ABC pulled the plug on his program.
Colbert didn’t hold back in his monologue, slamming ABC’s decision as “blatant censorship.” He pointed fingers at threats from President Trump’s FCC chair, saying the network yanked Kimmel off the air indefinitely just a day earlier. “With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch,” Colbert added, clearly referencing Trump in this heated late-night TV drama.
The 61-year-old host praised his own network, CBS, for standing firm. Before the taping, during a Q&A with fans, Colbert noted, “I’ll say this for my network—they wouldn’t have done this.” He called ABC’s move “weak,” especially after CBS announced back in July that The Late Show would end when his contract expires in May 2026. Still, Colbert had kind words for CBS overall, giving him a proper send-off unlike Kimmel’s sudden exit.
Kimmel, 57, got the boot from ABC on Wednesday following a controversial Tuesday monologue. He had labeled Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, as “MAGA,” sparking major backlash. The late-night host fired back at CBS earlier this summer on Instagram, writing, “Love you Stephen. F–k you and all your Sheldons CBS,” in a cheeky nod to the network’s popular Young Sheldon spin-off from The Big Bang Theory. Kimmel was on vacation at the time, but his reaction showed the tight bond—and rivalry—between these late-night stars.
Colbert’s solidarity moment highlights the growing tensions in late-night TV amid political pressures. Fans of Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and late-night shows are buzzing about what this means for comedy on air. Stay tuned—this story is developing fast, with more updates on ABC firing Jimmy Kimmel and the future of The Late Show coming soon.
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