Colbert Stands by Kimmel After ABC’s Controversial Decision
After ABC’s unexpected move to pull Jimmy Kimmel from the air, Stephen Colbert took the opportunity to honor his fellow late-night host. “I’m your host, Stephen Colbert, and we’re all Jimmy Kimmel tonight,” he stated during his Thursday night show.
Colbert criticized ABC’s actions, labeling them as “blatant censorship.” He reminisced about a moment early in the current administration, recalling when a small change, like renaming “Gulf of America,” seemed innocuous but could signal a slippery slope. “If ABC thinks this will appease the administration, they are terribly naive,” he cautioned.
He expressed solidarity with Kimmel and his team, but acknowledged a bittersweet feeling regarding his own recent Emmy win, saying he found it hard to enjoy it fully under the circumstances.
Colbert brushed off Kimmel’s comments related to an alleged Charlie Kirk assassin, confronting FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s accusations as unfair. He labeled Carr a hypocrite, recalling a 2020 post in which Carr opposed censorship of political satire.
The situation escalated when Colbert pointed out that the Nexstar Media Group’s ABC station would likely face challenges with the planned merger under the current administration’s scrutiny, hinting at possible political maneuvering. He quipped about the previously announced plans by CBS to conclude “The Late Show” by May 2026, which followed a resolution to a lawsuit by former President Trump.
On Monday, Kimmel found himself at the center of controversy surrounding a suspect in the Charlie Kirk case, who was reportedly affiliated with a group not necessarily aligned with Kimmel’s views. Kimmel remarked on these events, critiquing attempts to politicize the actions of a troubled individual.
In a pointed comment about political discourse, Kimmel described the response to Kirk’s death as inappropriate, noting, “This is not how adults grieve; it resembles the behavior of a frustrated child.” Ultimately, Disney faced mounting pressures from affiliated stations and the FCC, leading to the indefinite suspension of Kimmel’s show.
