It feels like you can’t joke about anything these days.
For years now, we’ve heard comedians lamenting the state of free speech, often citing ‘cancel culture’ as a threat. Voices like Joe Rogan and Dave Chappelle have championed artistic freedom amidst controversy, while even tech moguls like Elon Musk have weighed in, suggesting that comedy itself has become a dangerous pursuit.
Yet, with recent dramatic events like Stephen Colbert’s show being canceled and Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, the landscape for late-night comedy has undeniably shifted. So, what’s next for the big names in comedy? Surprisingly, many are now set to perform in Saudi Arabia.
Next week, a lineup of top American stand-up comedians, including Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, and Kevin Hart, are scheduled to appear at a major festival in Riyadh. This event is hosted by a government with a questionable record on free expression, and the timing, given recent events in US late-night, couldn’t be more unfortunate.
Even Tim Dillon, a podcaster known for his blunt, nihilistic humor, who publicly shared details of his $375,000 payment for the festival, was reportedly fired for controversial podcast comments. He sharply condemned Kimmel’s suspension, stating, ‘It’s wrong to pretend it’s because the show sucked or because it was losing eyeballs or money. Clearly it was a politically motivated hit job,’ targeting those who might dismiss Kimmel’s plight as a ratings issue.
Image: Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, dressed in tuxedos, standing at a microphone.
His directness on the matter is notable.
While it’s often easy to be cynical about late-night hosts eliciting applause for presidential jabs—and I confess, some of those jokes felt a bit too eager to please—the current situation makes such criticism seem shallow. Kimmel, in particular, understood the risks of satirizing the president. Donald Trump’s history of orchestrating pressure campaigns against various institutions clearly signaled that Kimmel was a marked man, with calls for his cancellation long preceding ABC’s recent action.
Following the cancellation of ‘The Late Show’ by CBS, a move they attributed to ‘purely financial’ reasons (a claim now appearing increasingly dubious), Colbert defiantly addressed the president’s online comments targeting his colleague. Responding to Trump’s post, ‘I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next,’ Colbert declared, ‘No, no, absolutely not Kimmel. I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross.’
Yet, it seems there’s room for more. We’re navigating uncharted waters, and comedians are grappling with new realities. How will network comics respond to such explicit threats? What creative direction will Lorne Michaels take for ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ opening sketch in its upcoming return? And how will Jimmy Fallon navigate ‘The Tonight Show’ through this turbulent period?
Image: Jimmy Fallon, smiling broadly, seated at his desk on the set of “The Tonight Show.”
Is that truly the case? While feigning ignorance might be tempting, an informed observer would likely recognize the underlying dynamics. To be fair, Fallon isn’t known for deep artistic or political introspection. Despite his long-standing disinterest in politics, he found himself unexpectedly embroiled in it, particularly after his infamous hair-ruffling incident with Trump on ‘The Tonight Show’ in 2016. Though he was criticized for allegedly normalizing Trump, this always felt somewhat unjust; Trump had long been a figure of pop culture mockery, and Fallon seemed merely to be going with the comedic flow of the time.
However, recent indications suggest Fallon is strategically attempting to preempt conflict, engaging in conciliatory gestures, toning down political humor, and striving for bipartisan appeal. His recent guest, Fox host Greg Gutfeld, notably expressed indifference to Kimmel’s suspension on his own program. Yet, even these efforts haven’t shielded Fallon, as Trump has already hinted that ‘The Tonight Show’ host might be the next target.
Observing comedians’ struggles in this complex climate, I’m reminded of a past experience that, while not directly related to American late-night, offered striking parallels. My mind goes back to a trip to Moscow in 2003, for one of my earliest articles for The Times, documenting Russian artists’ pioneering efforts to introduce American musicals post-Soviet collapse.
At that time, Vladimir Putin was early in his presidency, and government suppression of free expression hadn’t reached its current levels. Yet, conversations with various Russian artists revealed a palpable sense of caution. One particularly memorable encounter was with Philipp Kirkorov, a massively popular and flamboyant pop singer who was then staging the cynically vibrant musical ‘Chicago,’ starring as the cunning lawyer Billy Flynn to sold-out audiences. Backstage, when I called him a ‘star,’ Kirkorov, through his translator, swiftly corrected me: ‘I am not a star. I am a Kremlin star.’
Image: Philipp Kirkorov, in a glittering jacket and patterned shirt, energizing a crowd.
His comment baffled me initially, but looking back, it’s clear he was navigating a precarious environment, publicly aligning himself with the regime. Over the past two decades, especially following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine, nearly all the artists I interviewed have either passed away or left Russia. Kirkorov, however, stayed, carefully avoiding government criticism. This illustrates the complex and often difficult existence of a ‘Kremlin star.’
Despite his caution, in 2023, Kirkorov faced severe backlash from lawmakers and pro-government voices for attending a private celebrity party during wartime, where guests were sparsely dressed. The ensuing scandal, fueled by leaked photos, led to arrests and fines for other attendees. Kirkorov, likely due to his prominence, became a public example. His concerts were canceled, and he was compelled to issue public apologies. Last year, in a stark act of atonement, he visited wounded Russian soldiers in a hospital in the Donbas region, performing two songs for them.
Kirkorov diligently attempted to operate within the state’s boundaries, steering clear of war commentary and political entanglement. Yet, in regimes governed by powerful figures, politics inevitably infiltrates every aspect of life.
In a bizarre cultural intersection this past May, Fallon featured a comedic segment on ‘The Tonight Show’ where he reacted to a fan letter noting his resemblance to Kirkorov. After presenting a photo of the flamboyant, glitter-clad singer, Fallon donned a wig and handlebar mustache to mimic his look.
Fallon’s impersonation garnered laughs, seemingly playing on the stark contrast between his wholesome image and Kirkorov’s theatricality. However, in an increasingly volatile landscape for comedy and free expression, with Fallon potentially becoming the sole remaining 11:30 p.m. host, he may soon realize a deeper, more unsettling kinship with the Russian entertainer than he currently imagines.