Stephen Colbert opened Thursday's Late Show with a tribute to his fallen ABC colleague, saying "tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel," as ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air. The move came amid an ongoing debate over Kimmel's remarks about Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin and related regulatory scrutiny.
Colbert told Kimmel, "I stand with you and your staff 100%," but joked that he couldn't let him enjoy his Emmy win "for like one week." He called ABC's decision "blatant censorship" and warned, "And it always starts small," citing the idea of the "Gulf of America" to illustrate creeping overreach. "Remember, like in week one of his presidency, Gulf of America. Call it Gulf of America. Sure, it seems harmless, but with an autocrat, you cannot give an inch!" He added, "And if ABC thinks this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive."
Colbert also criticized FCC Chair Brendan Carr's condemnation as unwarranted, arguing what Kimmel said wasn't as provocative as Carr suggested. He pointed to a 2020 social media post decrying the censoring of political satire, including late-night comedians, as evidence of perceived hypocrisy.
He pointed to Nexstar Media Group's announcement that its ABC affiliates would preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and noted the company's forthcoming merger would need approval from the Trump administration. "So a company apparently capitulating to the whims of the president in order to ensure their merger goes through," Colbert said with a wink.
CBS previously announced it would end "The Late Show" in May 2026, just days after Paramount settled President Donald Trump's lawsuit—a development critics have linked to Paramount's $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
On Monday, Kimmel suggested that Kirk's alleged assassin was part of the MAGA gang despite reports he had a left-wing ideology, which was reaffirmed in Tuesday's indictment. "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it," Kimmel told his audience. He also mocked Trump over an exchange he had with a reporter about Kirk's death, saying, "This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?"
Disney had faced mounting pressure from ABC affiliate stations around the country as well as the FCC over its handling of Kimmel. The company ultimately decided Wednesday it would preempt his show indefinitely.
The episode underscores the ongoing frictions between networks, regulators and late-night strategy as culture and entertainment news continues to unfold.