Jimmy Fallon, the host of “Tonight’s Show,” suggested he might step in as a late-night host after CBS decided to cancel Stephen Colbert’s show.
“I’m your host. Well, at least for tonight,” Fallon quipped during his Monday monologue.
Making a cameo on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Fallon also directed his jokes at CBS and its parent, Paramount Global.
“Everyone’s talking about CBS’ choice to end the late show with Stephen Colbert,” he remarked, adding that many viewers seemed ready to boycott the network.
“CBS might lose millions, and, well, hundreds more are tuning into Paramount+,” he noted.
Fallon, a former “SNL” star, mentioned a humorous interaction with his dad, who claimed to be more of a “Kimmel guy.”
He praised Colbert, highlighting his impressive contributions to late-night TV, especially in his critiques of President Trump.
“Stephen has done some incredibly smart and funny TV over the years. He has 10 Emmys to his name,” Fallon said.
In a related joke, Fallon added, “Trump heard and was like, ‘Big deal, I just won the FIFA World Cup trophy last week.'” This referenced Trump’s recent appearance with the Chelsea soccer team post their championship win.
Fallon’s NBC contract lasts until 2028. He previously expressed shock over Colbert’s cancellation. His remarks followed sharp critiques from John Stewart and Colbert himself.
CBS maintains that the cancellation was purely financial and unrelated to the show’s performance, although this claim has been met with skepticism.
The timing of the cancellation has raised eyebrows among lawmakers, media figures, union leaders, and fellow late-night hosts, especially given Paramount Global’s recent settlement with Donald Trump and their $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Three days before the announcement, Colbert criticized Trump’s settlement during an episode, describing it as a “big fat bribe.” Critics argued that the decisions seemed to reflect political pressure from Trump.
Senator Elizabeth Warren voiced her concerns on X, while Skydance CEO David Ellison recently met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, promising a diverse range of viewpoints in the merged company.
This meeting only heightened speculation that Colbert’s exit was a strategic move ahead of the FCC’s ruling.
To date, CBS hasn’t reacted to Fallon’s remarks, and Paramount Global has yet to comment on the criticisms from Stewart or Colbert.
Colbert took over hosting “Late Show” from David Letterman back in 2015.
