In reality, the red carpet had barely been packed up before US broadcaster ABC and its parent company Disney announced the “indefinite” axing of yet another late-night host.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kimmel’s appeal saw politicians such as Joe Biden appear on the show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 (Reuters: Kevin Lamarque)<\/p>\n
Like Colbert before him, Jimmy Kimmel’s cancellation was largely blamed on his stance towards the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
The on-screen pause of Kimmel \u2014 who suggested that conservative pundit Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer may have been a MAGA Republican \u2014 was quickly celebrated by the US President.<\/p>\n
“Kimmel has zero talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.<\/p>\n
He also honed in on his firing line, saying Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers should be next.<\/p>\n
For those still watching, it left one question: is this the end of late-night TV?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Even his own Jimmy Fallon show appearance in 2016 wasn’t enough to keep the host off Mr Trump’s firing line.\u00a0 (Youtube: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)<\/p>\n
A brief history of the late-night shutdown<\/p>\n
By its very name, late-night television hints at things that can be only said after-hours.<\/p>\n
But in the decades since its inception, it has become a mainstream space for politicians to try their hand at winning the “popularity contest in pop culture”, says senior lecturer in American studies at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre, Rodney Taveira.<\/p>\n
Think Jimmy Fallon messing up Mr Trump’s hair. Or Bill Clinton playing the saxophone.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bill Clinton plays his saxophone during The Arsenio Hall Show in 1992. (AP: Reed Saxon\/File\u00a0)<\/p>\n
But there have been very few occasions where US politicians have been able to determine the fate of late-night.<\/p>\n
One of the most prominent examples, Dr Taveira says, also suggests its peril.<\/p>\n
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a 1960s variety show, was abruptly yanked by CBS because of its persistent opposition to the Vietnam War, support of civil rights and criticism of authority.<\/p>\n
The brothers responded to their firing by filing a breach of contract lawsuit, in which CBS lost and ultimately had to pay.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tommy Smothers on set in 1968.\u00a0 (AP: David F Smith)<\/p>\n
“Don’t tell a comedian not to say a certain word. For sure they’ll do it,” Dick Smothers said in 2019.<\/p>\n
“The funny thing is, I look back at those things. They’re so benign, but at the time they were volatile.”<\/p>\n
In the wake of 9\/11, Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect was also cancelled when he called the US military’s bombing “cowardly”.<\/p>\n
In response, The White House asked for people to “watch what they say and watch what they do.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bill Maher’s show faced an exodus of advertisers after his comments in the wake of 9\/11.\u00a0 (Reuters: Phil McCarten\u00a0)<\/p>\n
A second Trump term redefines the rules<\/p>\n
In Mr Trump’s first term, Colbert made a joke likening the president’s mouth to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s “c*** holster”.<\/p>\n
He later apologised but not to the president.<\/p>\n
Instead, Colbert directed his words at the LGBTQIA+ community for any implied homophobia.<\/p>\n
It may be the best example to contrast late-night’s relationship between the first and second Trump administrations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A 2018 billboard uses Mr Trump’s insults to advertise Colbert’s show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 (Reuters: Mike Segar)<\/p>\n
“I think [Mr Trump] sees mainstream television, journalism, against him,” Dr Taveira says.<\/p>\n
“And in the second term, he is getting revenge. Essentially, I think he’s motivated by vengeance.”<\/p>\n
One guaranteed way to get even is lawsuits.<\/p>\n
In December, the US’s ABC \u2014 the same broadcaster that aired Kimmel’s show \u2014 agreed to give $US15 million ($23 million) to Mr Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos.<\/a><\/p>\n Paramount \u2014 former home to Colbert \u2014 will pay Mr Trump $US16 million ($24 million) to settle a lawsuit over an interview with former presidential rival Kamala Harris<\/a>.<\/p>\n