Talk show hosts, even ratings rivals, are weighing in on the state of late-night comedy TV following the removal of \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d from the airwaves.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week while hosting his late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel made comments about the death of Charlie Kirk. In response to those comments, Kimmel was pulled from the air and \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d has been suspended by ABC. <\/p>\n
Kimmel\u2019s suspension came after FCC chairman Brendan Carr pressured the network to take action following the host\u2019s comments about Kirk\u2019s killing. <\/p>\n
After Kimmel was pulled from the air, a number of fellow late-night hosts have come to his defense, speaking on the issue during their own shows Thursday night. <\/p>\n
Jimmy Fallon comes to Kimmel\u2019s defense<\/p>\n
During Thursday\u2019s episode of \u201cThe Tonight Show,\u201d Fallon addressed ABC suspending Kimmel\u2019s show. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe big story is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking, \u2018WTF?\u2019\u201d Fallon said jokingly as he started his monologue. <\/p>\n
Jimmy Fallon reacts to ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s show:<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people are worried that we won\u2019t keep saying what we want to say, or that we\u2019ll be censored, but I\u2019m going to cover the President\u2019s trip to the UK, just like I normally would\u201d pic.twitter.com\/FTQa1L3iA5<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n He then switched to a more serious tone, coming to Kimmel\u2019s defense. \u201cTo be honest with you all, I don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on, and no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he\u2019s a decent, funny and loving guy, and I hope he comes back.\u201d<\/p>\n Fallon then joked about concerns that late-night comedy shows will be \u201ccensored,\u201d and vowed to continue covering President Donald Trump \u201cjust like I normally would.\u201d But, as he continued talking about the president, a studio voiceover began jokingly dubbing his words with praise for Trump. <\/p>\n Seth Meyers\u2019 reaction to Kimmel being pulled off the air<\/p>\n Also on Thursday, the Kimmel suspension was addressed by Seth Meyers on NBC\u2019s \u201cLate Night.\u201d <\/p>\n He started by speaking about Kimmel, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege and an honor to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend in the same way it\u2019s a privilege and honor to do this show every night.\u201d <\/p>\n Seth Meyers addressed Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension: <\/p>\n “It is a privilege and honor to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, in the same way it is an honor and a privilege to do this show every night.” <\/p>\n [Video: NBC] pic.twitter.com\/cZUBhgvqZC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 TheDesk.net (@TheDeskDotNet) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep doing our show the way we\u2019ve always done it, with enthusiasm and integrity,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n Meyers also spoke on the principles of free speech and free expression. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a big moment in our democracy and we must all stand up for the principles of free expression,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a reason free speech is in the very first amendment. It stands above all others.\u201d<\/p>\n Jon Stewart returns to hosting \u2018Daily Show\u2019 in response to Kimmel being suspended<\/p>\n Another host who rallied around Kimmel was Jon Stewart, who made a surprise return to \u201cThe Daily Show\u201d to discuss Kimmel\u2019s suspension on Thursday. Stewart typically only hosts \u201cThe Daily Show\u201d on Monday. <\/p>\n Stewart\u2019s highly sarcastic segment began with him saying, \u201cWe have another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show,\u201d according to The Hill. <\/a><\/p>\n The comedian\u2019s comments were a sarcastic reference to Kimmel\u2019s suspension. Throughout Thursday\u2019s appearance, Stewart also sarcastically praised Trump, referencing the president\u2019s \u201clegendary warmth and radiance,\u201d as clips of his recent trip to the U.K. played. <\/p>\n Stewart also said that the \u201cgreat administration\u201d has laid out clear rules about free speech. <\/p>\n \u201cNow some naysayers may argue that this administration\u2019s speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smoke screen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation, principleless and coldly antithetical \u2026 to any experiment in a constitutional republic governance. Some people would say that,\u201d Stewart said, per The Hill. <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cNot me, though. I think it\u2019s great,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Letterman and Colbert\u2019s comments on Kimmel\u2019s suspension<\/p>\n According to USA Today,<\/a> former late-night host David Letterman spoke out against ABC\u2019s decision to suspend Kimmel\u2019s show while appearing at The Atlantic Festival. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t go around firing somebody because you\u2019re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian, criminal administration in the Oval Office,\u201d Letterman said. \u201cThat\u2019s just not how this works.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephen Colbert, whose show was canceled by CBS over the summer, effective next year, also defended Kimmel and called the suspension a \u201cblatant assault\u201d on freedom of speech. <\/p>\n \u201cJimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100%\u201d Colbert said on \u201cThe Late Show with Steven Colbert,\u201d per CNBC. <\/a><\/p>\n What Trump said about Kimmel\u2019s suspension from the air<\/p>\n Trump spoke about Kimmel on Air Force One on Thursday while returning from a state visit to the U.K. <\/p>\n The president called Kimmel untalented and denounced him for saying a \u201chorrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,\u201d per Reuters. <\/a><\/p>\n Trump also complained about receiving bad publicity from broadcasters and networks. <\/p>\n \u201cI have read some place that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily,\u201d Trump said, per BBC. <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something that should be talked about for licensing,\u201d he continued, according to Reuters. <\/a>\u201cAll they do is hit Trump. I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr.\u201d<\/p>\n