Seth Meyers is reportedly 'freaking out' about his late-night future after Donald Trump publicly urged NBC to ax him as Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show was suspended. Kimmel's program was pulled from the schedule after remarks about Charlie Kirk's alleged killer drew threats and sparked a broader dispute at Disney, setting off a wave of industry speculation about the fate of late-night hosts who have been critical of the administration.
Trump amplified the flare-up on Truth Social, writing, "That leaves Jimmy [Fallon] and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!" Meyers moderated his criticisms of Trump but, in the wake of Kimmel’s suspension, argued that the administration was pursuing a crackdown on free speech. The remarks came as Disney and Kimmel’s team engaged in talks that did not yield a resolution, casting a cloud over the immediate future of the network’s late-night lineup.
A television insider told Puck that Meyers has been anxious about his position, and the coverage has roiled Disney’s leadership. Puck’s Kim Masters reported that Disney co-chair Dana Walden is "pretty shook" as Bob Iger and other executives evaluate how to navigate the Kimmel episode and whether a return path for Kimmel might emerge in the coming days. The Wall Street Journal quoted an insider saying Disney is monitoring the situation and sees a potential route for Kimmel to return if the broader political climate shifts, but no immediate decision has been announced.
The shakeout has raised questions about who could be left as the lone Trump critic on a major late-night platform. NBC’s Jimmy Fallon has largely kept his tone apolitical, while Stephen Colbert’s CBS program has been the subject of speculation about its future, a point echoed by industry observers and outlets reporting on Paramount’s strategic moves. The notes describe Colbert’s program as potentially winding down in May, tied to broader corporate decisions rather than a public push from the White House.
Analysts and entertainment executives have pointed to a broader pattern in which networks are wary of politically charged content amid heightened political pressure. The unfolding Kimmel situation has fed that dynamic, with Disney executives weighing whether to reintroduce Kimmel's show quickly, extend the hiatus, or restructure the late-night slate in a way that could impact Meyers and others who have been outspoken critics.
The episodes have unfolded within a context of litigation and corporate settlements that have colored the industry’s calculations about how to navigate political sensitivities. In 2023, Disney reportedly paid Trump millions to resolve a suit stemming from coverage by ABC News related to comments by a former anchor, an episode that many observers say affected the timing and manner of corporate responses to Trump’s rhetoric. The broader narrative includes Paramount’s own corporate actions, including a separate $16 million settlement with Trump connected to a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, a move that observers said was aimed at smoothing regulatory and merger-related paths, including a merger with Skydance that drew scrutiny from federal and industry watchers.
As Kimmel’s suspension remains unresolved, Meyers’ fate on NBC remains uncertain. The late-night landscape, which has long cycled between political commentary and entertainment-focused fare, could see shifts that would affect other hosted programs and their approach to political content. Disney, NBCUniversal, and CBS’s parent company Paramount all face decisions about how aggressive to be with political critique in a media environment shaped by executive churn, regulatory scrutiny, and the public’s appetite for entertainment that engages with current events. For Meyers, the coming weeks are likely to be pivotal as networks decide whether to retain a satire-heavy approach or calibrate it to a broader audience and a shifting political climate.