Jimmy Kimmel Critiques CBS at the Oscars
During the Oscars ceremony on Sunday night, Jimmy Kimmel took the opportunity to criticize CBS for its decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s show amid the merger between Paramount and Skydance.
Kimmel, while presenting the Best Documentary Award, made a pointed comment: “You hear a lot about courage on shows like this, but real courage is telling a story that you could get killed for telling. You know, there are countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say one way or the other. I’ll leave this issue to North Korea and CBS.”
Last year, CBS labeled Colbert’s show cancellation as a “financial decision.”
In a statement, executives referred to Colbert as “irreplaceable” and mentioned that he would step down from the “Late Show” series in May 2026. They expressed pride that he had called CBS home, stating he and his work would hold a significant place in late-night television history. They emphasized that this decision was purely financial and unrelated to the show’s content or performance amid the challenging landscape of late-night broadcasting.
The cancellation followed shortly after Colbert referred to the company’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump as a “big, fat bribe” related to the merger, which some critics interpreted as a politically motivated retaliation.
Kimmel also took aim at Melania Trump’s documentary during the awards. He remarked, “Fortunately for all of us, there is an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth, sometimes at great risks, to make films that teach us, call out injustice, and inspire us to take action. There are also documentaries that try on shoes and walk around the White House.”
He later quipped, “Oh, would he be upset that his wife wasn’t nominated for this award?”
In another context, last September Kimmel faced a brief suspension from Disney after making remarks that suggested connections to MAGA, despite evidence pointing to a left-wing influence on a conservative activist’s assassin. The suspension was also influenced by broadcast affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair deciding not to air his show.
Nexstar described Kimmel’s comments as “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in the national political debate” and expressed hope for a return to respectful dialogue.
After a short hiatus, Kimmel returned, clarifying, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.” He added, “I don’t think there’s anything strange. The day he was killed, I posted a message on Instagram to send my love and sympathy to his family. I meant it, and I still do.”
