Late-night TV hosts Stewart, Colbert, and Fallon react to Kimmel's temporary absences
In a surprising turn of events, ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show indefinitely, following his criticism of US President Donald Trump. The move has sparked concern among fellow late-night hosts about free speech in media, with some taking a satirical approach to express their views.
Jimmy Fallon, for instance, used a humorous voice-over to convey his support for Jimmy Kimmel, mimicking praises often given to Trump. Fallon expressed hope that Kimmel's show would resume soon.
Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert, whose own show is set to end in May 2023, criticized ABC and Disney for yielding to external pressure. He framed the suspension as symptomatic of growing media suppression and emphasized the danger of letting 'autocrats' define what counts as acceptable speech. Colbert also criticized FCC member Brendan Carr sharply, highlighting tensions between media personalities and FCC leadership over free speech issues.
Interestingly, the cancellation of Colbert's show, announced three days after he criticized the settlement between President Trump and Paramount Global, has not sparked the same level of concern among fellow late-night hosts as Jimmy Kimmel's suspension did. CBS attributed the cancellation to financial reasons.
Jon Stewart, in a satirical twist, referred to his show as 'government-approved' and teased a 'patriotically obedient host.'
As of the current paragraph, Jimmy Kimmel has yet to respond to his suspension. Trump hinted that Kimmel could be the next late-night host to face cancellation, expressing his delight at the cancellation of Colbert's show.
The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show is not directly linked to the cancellation of Colbert's show. However, the events have certainly stirred up discussions about free speech in media and the potential for media suppression.
