Stephen Colbert devoted Thursday's Late Show to free speech and a defense of Jimmy Kimmel, denouncing ABC's decision to suspend Kimmel's program as blatant censorship. 'This is blatant censorship,' Colbert said, as he criticized President Donald Trump as an autocrat who 'you cannot give him an inch.' 'Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100 percent,' Colbert added.
ABC announced on Wednesday that it was suspending Kimmel's show indefinitely after his controversial remarks about the man accused of shooting conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Kimmel had incorrectly claimed that Tyler Robinson, 22, was a right-wing member of the MAGA movement. Investigators have since said Robinson was radicalized on far-left ideologies and was dating his transgender roommate. The remarks drew conservative backlash and spurred calls for investigations, with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr saying he was considering an investigation into Kimmel and ABC.
Separately, Nexstar Communications Group said it would no longer air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its 23 ABC-affiliated stations. ABC executives held an emergency meeting and decided to suspend Kimmel's program. President Donald Trump quickly praised the move, calling it 'great news for America' and urging NBC and other networks to follow suit against late-night hosts he views as hostile to him.
On Thursday, Colbert also addressed his own history with Paramount, the owner of the show's network, noting he would soon end his program in June after clashes over a $16 million settlement tied to a merger with Skydance. He described the settlement as a 'big, fat bribe' to gain regulatory approval and argued that the decision to suspend Kimmel echoed concerns about corporate influence over political discourse. Colbert's remarks reflected a broader publicity moment as the late-night landscape faces pressure from political actors and corporate decisions alike. This is a breaking development and will be updated as more information becomes available.