Welcome to our Late Night Roundup! We bring you the previous night’s highlights so you can enjoy your sleep while we cover the comedy. This is your essential recap of late-night television, complete with a recommendation for top movies streaming right now.
A Candid and Emotional Return
Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional return to ABC on Tuesday night, receiving a powerful standing ovation as he delivered his first monologue since his controversial suspension last Wednesday.
He opened his show with a wry remark, stating, “Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted.”
Kimmel then lightened the mood with a characteristic jab, joking, “I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the C.E.O. of Tylenol.”
In a deeply personal monologue, Kimmel expressed immense gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from “all the people in the world,” specifically acknowledging his fellow late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others who reached out. He shared touching anecdotes, including an offer of a job from a German late-night host, highlighting the irony of the situation.
Becoming visibly emotional, Kimmel tearfully addressed the controversy surrounding his earlier comments about Charlie Kirk’s death, emphasizing that he never intended to make light of a young man’s murder. He spoke candidly about the constant threats he, his wife, and children endure, and distinguished these threats from the genuine conservatives he knows and respects. He stated, “I don’t think what I have to say is going to make much of a difference: If you like me, you like me, if you don’t, you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind.”
He then passionately defended the fundamental right to free speech, drawing a stark contrast with comedians in authoritarian countries who face imprisonment for satirizing those in power. He described the efforts to pull his show from the air and coerce affiliates as “un-American” and “dangerous.”
With a final touch of humor, Kimmel revealed Disney’s sole condition for his return: jokingly reading a promotional statement for Disney+ and Hulu, providing a moment of levity after a serious discussion.
The Peanut Gallery Weighs In: Other Late Night Hosts React
Other late-night hosts weren’t shy about acknowledging Kimmel’s high-profile return. Jimmy Fallon playfully quipped, “Welcome to ‘The Tonight Show.’ Hey, and if you’re tuning in to see what I’ll say about my suspension the last couple of days, again you’re watching the wrong Jimmy.” Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert expressed gratitude to his audience, adding, “everybody else is probably watching ABC because tonight Jimmy Kimmel returned to the airwaves.”
Greg Gutfeld, ever the provocateur, remarked, “Later tonight, Jimmy Kimmel will return after he was taken off the air. [audience boos] I know. Yeah, and here I thought America had a strict policy against torture.” In contrast, Stephen Colbert offered a more affectionate, humorous take on his peer: “I’m glad Kimmel’s back. He’s a wonderful fella. To know him well is to admire him immensely, even if he takes the whole summer off.”
Other Memorable Late Night Moments
Beyond the Kimmel saga, Seth Meyers delighted audiences on Tuesday’s “Late Night” with a segment featuring him day drinking alongside “Las Culturistas” co-hosts Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers.
Upcoming Late Night Highlights
Country music star Lainey Wilson is scheduled to appear on Wednesday’s “Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.
Beyond the Talk Shows: A New Series Review
Also receiving buzz is “The Lowdown,” Sterlin Harjo’s latest project following “Reservation Dogs.” This gritty noir series, featuring Ethan Hawke as a crusading journalist, maintains the strong sense of atmosphere seen in Harjo’s previous work but promises a significantly more intense and action-packed narrative.