Late-night talk show responses following Kimmel's suspension
In a surprising turn of events, Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has been suspended indefinitely following comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension has sparked a wave of reactions across the entertainment and political worlds, including from President Donald Trump.
Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers have shown their support for Kimmel, hosting their shows with a mix of humor and solidarity. Stewart opened his show with a satirical take on the president's criticism of large cities and his deployment of the National Guard to fight their crime. Colbert, during a conversation with New Yorker editor David Remnick, claimed that the government is acting at the direction of the president to put pressure on, manipulate, and silence institutions of the free word.
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been vocal in their criticism of the suspension, with Stewart making a special appearance to skewer the decision. Stewart fidgeted nervously and took on a more stilted tone when he started describing the president's visit to the United Kingdom, calling the president "our great father." Colbert, on the other hand, opened his monologue on Thursday with an altered version of the song Be Our Guest from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, replacing the lyrics with "Shut your trap. Shut your trap."
David Letterman, Colbert's predecessor on The Late Show, lamented networks' moves to suspend Kimmel, stating it is managed media, no good, and ridiculous. Letterman also criticized the firing of individuals who do not "suck up" to what he called an authoritarian president.
The guest who appeared on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show the day after Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s indefinite suspension to discuss the censorship issues was a MAGA comedian. Stewart and Colbert interviewed guests who could address censorship concerns raised by Kimmel's suspension. Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Ressa spoke to Stewart.
Jimmy Fallon, in a show of support for Kimmel, opened his Tonight Show monologue addressing Kimmel's suspension and expressed hope for Kimmel's return. Fallon's guests were actor Jude Law, journalist Tom Llamas, and actor and singer Jonathan Groff, none of whom addressed Kimmel's situation.
Seth Meyers expressed solidarity with Kimmel, stating it is a privilege and honor to call him his friend. Meyers, in his Thursday segment of A Closer Look, reaffirmed his show's commitment to the principles of free expression. Meyers, when asked for tips on coping with the current moment, recounted how he and his colleagues at the news site Rappler "just kept going" when he was faced with 11 arrest warrants in one year under Philippine then-President Rodrigo Duterte.
Stephen Colbert called Kimmel's suspension "blatant censorship." Colbert addressed Kimmel directly, expressing his solidarity and stating that ABC's suspension of Kimmel's show will not satisfy the current regime. Colbert also responded to remarks made by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, stating that his community values include freedom of speech.
The Daily Show set was refashioned with decorative gold engravings, in a parody of gold accents added to the Oval Office by the president. The suspension of Kimmel's show has drawn reactions from across the entertainment and political worlds, including from President Donald Trump. ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show after a group of ABC-affiliated stations said they would not air the show, and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said his agency had a strong case for holding Kimmel, ABC, and network parent Walt Disney Co. accountable for spreading misinformation.
Jimmy Kimmel's supporters argue that Carr misread what the comic said and that nowhere did he specifically suggest that the man alleged to have fatally shot Charlie Kirk was conservative. The suspension of Kimmel's show has sparked a debate about freedom of speech and censorship in the media.
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