A chorus of prominent late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and David Letterman, issued stark warnings on Thursday: the country, they argued, was dangerously veering toward autocracy following ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show under pressure from the Trump administration.
Kicking off his daily program, Mr. Colbert declared, “Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel,” condemning ABC’s move to “indefinitely” pull Kimmel’s show as “blatant censorship.” He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. If ABC thinks that this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive. And clearly they’ve never read the children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Kimmel.”
Meanwhile, Jon Stewart’s show began with a public address announcer introducing “the all-new, government-approved ‘Daily Show'” and its “patriotically obedient host,” Mr. Stewart. The segment featured Stewart in a gilded set, mockingly endorsing the new regime, a powerful visual critique of the situation.
On “The Tonight Show,” Jimmy Fallon expressed his concern, saying, “I don’t know what’s going on. And no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny and loving guy and I hope he comes back.” His insistence on not being censored was humorously undermined by a voiceover that provided overly complimentary language over his commentary, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.
These late-night criticisms followed earlier remarks from veteran host David Letterman. Speaking at The Atlantic Festival, Letterman asserted, “You can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian, a criminal administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
The controversy erupted after ABC announced Kimmel’s “indefinite” suspension. This decision came after Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, publicly criticized remarks Kimmel made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Carr hinted at potential FCC action against ABC affiliates, saying, “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the F.C.C. ahead.”
Conservatives had previously accused Kimmel of misrepresenting the political views of Tyler Robinson, the individual implicated in Kirk’s assassination. On his show, Kimmel had claimed Trump supporters were “desperately trying” to portray Robinson as anything but one of their own, despite Utah officials reporting a recent shift in Robinson’s views toward the left.
The suspension quickly ignited outrage among liberals, who condemned the network for censorship and for succumbing to political pressure from the Trump administration. Colbert, Stewart, Letterman, and to a lesser extent, Fallon, publicly joined these critics on Thursday.
Colbert didn’t miss a beat in ridiculing Mr. Carr’s statement about upholding “community values.” “Well, you know what my community values are, buster?” Colbert retorted. “Freedom of speech.” He even revived his iconic “Stephen Colbert” character from “The Colbert Report”—a self-absorbed conservative pundit—to further his critique.
Jon Stewart’s performance as a humble, pro-government sycophant teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown extended beyond the Kimmel incident itself. He mused, “Some naysayers may argue that this administration’s speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smokescreen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation.” After a dramatic pause, he reiterated, “Some people would say that. Not me though. I think it’s great.” A video embedded from The Daily Show’s official social media showcased this ‘obedient’ Jon Stewart, offering a “White House-approved” take on free speech in light of Kimmel’s suspension.
These remarks underscore a growing sense of solidarity among late-night hosts. In recent months, they’ve rallied around each other, notably after CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” Kimmel himself championed Colbert, even erecting a billboard in Los Angeles proclaiming, “I’m voting for Stephen” for best talk show, a gesture that preceded Colbert’s eventual Emmy win.
However, this unity doesn’t extend across the entire late-night spectrum. On Fox News, Greg Gutfeld, who had previously called Kimmel a “clown,” revisited the topic on Thursday evening. “While some say it’s an attack on free speech, others believe it’s an excuse to unload Jimmy due to his poor ratings and the cost to keep him on,” Gutfeld stated. He provocatively added, “But Kimmel is not being censored. He can still tell jokes and malign Charlie and lie about his killer, he just needs to find another place to do it. I hear Gaza is nice this time of year.”
Trish Bendix also contributed to this report.