Jimmy Kimmel captured during a taping session on September 29 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Randy Holmes/Disney
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Randy Holmes/Disney
On Tuesday evening, late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert appeared as guests on each other’s programs, sharing candid reflections on their shows’ cancellations-temporary in Kimmel’s case, permanent for Colbert.
Broadcast live from New York, the two hosts orchestrated a unique late-night crossover event, linking Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC with CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The special included a playful moment where they greeted each other from their respective stages-the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where Kimmel’s show was filmed that week, and the iconic Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan, home to Colbert’s program.
Kimmel opened with a self-deprecating jab, calling Colbert a “fellow talentless late-night loser,” a nod to the insults both have endured from former President Trump. Throughout their monologues, the pair continued to satirize the president and current political figures.
Amid applause from the Brooklyn audience, Kimmel quipped about their synchronized broadcasts, “We figured this might be a clever way to rattle the president.”
During his segment on Colbert’s show, Kimmel gave his first interview since his program was abruptly suspended on September 7. ABC executives halted Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a controversial monologue aired the night before, which The Walt Disney Company described as “poorly timed and insensitive.” Kimmel had addressed the recent murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, criticizing attempts by MAGA supporters to distance the perpetrator from their movement. “We reached new depths over the weekend,” he remarked, “with the MAGA crowd scrambling to spin this tragedy for political gain.”
Kimmel’s remarks sparked outrage from Trump, abc-return-suspension-cost-disney/” title=”Jimmy …s Big Comeback to …: What His Suspension Really Cost … | Donald … News”>conservative groups, the Federal Communications Commission chair, and two major broadcast networks, leading to the show’s removal from the airwaves.
Reflecting on the experience, Kimmel described it as an “emotional rollercoaster.” He recounted how, just as he was preparing for the next episode, ABC executives called to inform him that Jimmy Kimmel Live! was being suspended indefinitely. “They said they wanted to cool things down and were worried about what I might say that night,” he explained. “I thought, this is the end. I’m done. I won’t be back.”
Meanwhile, the studio audience in Hollywood was still seated, unaware of the cancellation. A guest chef had spent the day preparing meatballs and polenta for a cooking segment. After dismissing the crowd, Kimmel and his team watched Howard Jones perform “Things Can Only Get Better.”
Following the suspension, Kimmel was trailed home by paparazzi in cars and helicopters. His 11-year-old daughter, worried by the media frenzy, offered to sell her beloved Labubu toy, while his son reacted by running around the house in a state of undress.
Kimmel’s suspension ignited a nationwide conversation about freedom of expression and the Trump administration’s confrontations with the press. Supporters rallied, threatening boycotts of Disney and cancellations of its streaming services. Ultimately, ABC and its affiliates reversed their decision, reinstating the show. Kimmel returned to the stage with tears, expressing remorse: “I never intended to make light of a young man’s murder.”
On Tuesday’s episode-jokingly dubbed “the show the FCC doesn’t want you to watch”-Kimmel introduced Colbert as “the Emmy-winning late-night host who, thanks to the Trump administration, is now available for a limited engagement.”
In July, CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would conclude in May due to financial considerations. Fans speculated the timing was linked to Colbert’s criticism of CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, which had recently paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. This announcement coincided with Paramount’s pursuit of FCC approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Trump celebrated Colbert’s cancellation on social media, tweeting, “I hear Kimmel is next.”
During Tuesday’s show, the audience enthusiastically chanted “Stephen! Stephen! Stephen!” before Colbert shared how he learned about his show’s impending end. His manager waited until he returned from vacation to deliver the news. After filming that day’s episode, Colbert asked his audience to stay for an additional segment.
“I was nervous about winging it since there was no teleprompter,” Colbert admitted, recalling how he stumbled twice. “The crew encouraged me, ‘You can do it, Stephen,’ but when I reached the part explaining the situation, the room fell silent.”
Throughout their joint appearances, Colbert and Kimmel reflected on their camaraderie and friendships with fellow late-night hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers, who made a surprise cameo. They reminisced about Kimmel’s billboard in Los Angeles urging fans to vote for Colbert’s Emmy win, which he secured in September.
The evening concluded on Colbert’s show with a visit from Kimmel’s sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez, who joined them in raising tequila shots. Together, they toasted to “lasting friendships, rewarding careers, and the spirit of late-night television.”
