What Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers said about Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension

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Thursday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” didn’t air as scheduled, replaced by a repeat of “Celebrity Family Feud.” ABC has currently paused the show indefinitely. However, other late-night hosts used their own shows to speak out about the situation.

Jon Stewart unexpectedly returned to host “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, stepping in outside of his regular Monday appearances. Desi Lydic was the scheduled host for the week, but she paused to address the situation involving her friend, Jimmy Kimmel.

From the beginning of the show, Stewart heavily used sarcasm, jokingly calling it the “new, government-approved” version and introducing himself as the evening’s “patriotically obedient host.” He often chided the audience for laughing at his exaggerated flattery of the Trump administration. He also mockingly described the show’s location, New York City, as a “crime-ridden cesspool” and suggested it needed a National Guard invasion.

Stewart dismissed criticisms of the administration’s approach to free speech, saying he wasn’t familiar with a commentator named ‘Johnny Drimmel Live.’ He acknowledged that some people believe the administration’s policies are a dishonest attempt to increase its power and suppress dissent, but he personally disagreed, stating he thought the policies were positive. He framed the criticisms as accusations that the administration’s actions were a cynical and unprincipled power grab, directly opposing the ideals of a constitutional republic.

Stewart and the reporters playfully sang a slightly out-of-tune song, showering the president with compliments.

Voices

Commentary: After Kimmel and Colbert, who’s next in the war against free speech? Not Gutfeld

With Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert‘s shows recently taken off the air, people are now wondering which public figure or program the Trump administration might go after next.

Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night,” addressed the recent controversy head-on. He began his “A Closer Look” segment on Thursday by jokingly suggesting that any criticism he’s made of the president was actually created using AI technology. “I’ve always thought he was a forward-thinking leader, an innovator, a fantastic president, and an even better golfer,” he quipped.

The show featured clips from Donald Trump’s recent trip to the U.K., with the host playfully highlighting both the president’s statements and the protests that occurred. Later, the segment shifted to show Trump discussing his commitment to ending government censorship and restoring free speech, immediately followed by news reports about Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension.

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Meyers pointed out that while Trump pledged to protect free speech and stop government censorship, his actions are having the opposite effect. Experts are now concerned that the U.S. is quickly heading towards an authoritarian system similar to Russia or Hungary, and this shift is happening more quickly than anticipated.

The host also shared how much he values his friendship with Kimmel, saying it’s a real honor, just like he feels about hosting his own show. He explained that he’s grateful to live in a country that claims to support free speech, and they plan to continue making their show with the same energy and honesty as always.

On Thursday, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” announced David Remnick, the editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, as a guest, joining CNN journalist Jake Tapper. This summer, the show itself made news when CBS revealed it would conclude in May 2026, bringing an end to the 33-year-old program. CBS stated the cancellation was for financial reasons, dismissing speculation that it stemmed from Stephen Colbert’s criticism of a deal involving the Trump administration and Paramount, CBS’s parent company.

Television

When I heard ABC was putting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on hold, it immediately brought back memories of the whole Roseanne situation. You remember, they rebooted her show in 2018, but this feels different, somehow. It’s just a weird parallel, seeing a late-night show face similar uncertainty.

On Thursday, Stephen Colbert sang a song addressing the current situation, presented as a message from ABC and its owner, Walt Disney. He set the lyrics to the tune of “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty and the Beast,” but repeatedly used the phrase “shut your trap” as the song’s chorus.

Stephen Colbert performed a song while a clip of Lumière from Beauty and the Beast played, but the animated character was wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat. The lyrics warned people to be careful with their words, saying the leader has very thin skin. The song continued, suggesting flattery is favored and warning against insulting the “great dictator,” while a picture of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appeared on screen.

According to a new policy at ABC, talent are not allowed to joke about Donald Trump. They’ve been warned that any mention of Jeff Epstein, or causing a disturbance, will result in their show being canceled.

During his show, Colbert discussed the suspension and shared a statement from Carr posted on social media. Carr explained that while the decision was unusual, broadcasters need to be able to object to Disney content they feel doesn’t align with local standards.

“You know what my community values are, buster?” Colbert asked. “Freedom of speech.”

Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona will be on “The Late Show” on Monday. He was last on the show last year, before the 2024 election, where he talked about border security and gun control.

On Thursday, during a discussion with Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg, former “Late Show” host David Letterman called the recent events “misery.”

As a lifelong movie and TV fan, it really struck me when Letterman talked about how authoritarian regimes eventually affect everyone. He started by addressing what happened with Colbert and the cancellation of ‘The Late Show,’ strongly suggesting political pressure was behind it. Then, he broadened the scope to include the decision to pull Kimmel’s show, implying a pattern of control at play. It’s a chilling thought, that even something as seemingly harmless as late-night comedy could be targeted.

He expressed his disappointment, stating, “We all know how this is going to end.” He criticized what he called “controlled media” and dismissed it as pointless and absurd. He strongly objected to the idea of firing someone simply to appease a powerful and, in his view, corrupt administration, arguing that it’s a fundamentally wrong approach.

After thirty years of doing late-night comedy, David Letterman was known for joking about presidents. He recalled that despite these jokes – whether fair or unfair, accurate or not – his show never faced any pressure or interference from government agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission.

ABC removed comedian Jimmy Kimmel from its broadcast schedule on Wednesday following controversial remarks he made during Monday night’s show about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Over the weekend, Jimmy Kimmel criticized supporters of Donald Trump, calling their attempts to distance themselves from the person accused of attacking Charlie Kirk as disingenuous. He accused them of exploiting the situation for political gain.

Look, Jimmy Kimmel hasn’t said a word about all this yet, but the fallout from his show being temporarily pulled off the air has been intense. Everyone’s talking about whether ABC and Disney caved to political pressure, and it’s a pretty strong accusation. To make things even more complicated, the head of the FCC, Brendan Carr, is now suggesting his agency might actually *do* something about Kimmel’s comments. It’s a messy situation, and I’m honestly surprised by how quickly it escalated.

Hollywood Inc.

SAG-AFTRA and WGA protest the decision to pull the late-night show after FCC chairman’s threats.

According to Carr, Disney is facing a significant problem right now. He explained on the Benny Johnson podcast that the company can either address the issue with Jimmy Kimmel proactively, or the Federal Communications Commission may need to get involved and take action.

Okay, so I just saw this online – Trump posted on Truth Social celebrating what he *thought* was the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel’s show. He basically said it was ‘great news for America’ because the ratings are apparently down. But here’s the thing: the show isn’t actually cancelled! It’s just on pause right now, which is a pretty big difference. It’s kind of funny to see him claiming it’s cancelled when it’s not, honestly.

Interestingly, other daytime talk show hosts didn’t publicly comment on the situation. The hosts of “The View” didn’t discuss Jimmy Kimmel’s break on their show Thursday. While “Good Morning America” (also part of ABC News) reported the news about Kimmel taking time off, they didn’t offer any further analysis or opinion.

Jimmy Kimmel faced some backlash recently, and his fictional rival on the show “Hacks,” Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart), weighed in on the situation. Smart, posting on Instagram, defended Kimmel, stating his comments were protected free speech, not hate speech, and criticized the selective outrage, suggesting people only defend free speech when it aligns with their own views. Kimmel actually made a guest appearance on “Hacks” last season.

She continued, expressing strong disapproval of Charlie Kirk’s views, but also stating that his death was deeply upsetting and should have been for anyone with basic decency. She then questioned the direction the country is heading.

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2025-09-19 06:32