The end of Wednesday night’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert taping took an unexpected turn when the show’s studio audience learned in real time—from Stephen Colbert—that ABC was indefinitely preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
According to those in attendance for the taping last night at the Ed Sullivan Theater, Colbert was handed a phone near the close of the show and appeared visibly shaken as he read the update. He paused for several moments before raising his hand to his mouth in disbelief.
Production halted for roughly five minutes after Colbert excused himself to gather additional information backstage.
When he returned, Colbert told the audience he did not yet have clarity on the situation and would address it on Thursday night’s show. He then taped the show’s closing segment before quickly exiting the stage.
The announcement was said to have abruptly shifted the tone of what had been a light, energetic taping.
As we’ve reported, Kimmel’s audience in Los Angeles was about to be seated when they were informed that Wednesday night’s taping had been canceled. Moments later, ABC announced it was indefinitely preempting the show after two station groups informed the network they would stop airing it.
Kimmel, of course, has been vocal in his support for Colbert after news broke in July that CBS was canceling The Late Show in May 2026, even campaigning for Colbert to win Outstanding Talk Series at the Emmys despite the fact that he, too, was nominated.
Colbert tapes a new episode tonight, at which he is expected to address the Kimmel news on air. His guests are CNN anchor Jake Tapper and New Yorker editor David Remnick.
They won’t use guns to seek retribution, but revenge, that they are taking, and trying to kill off figuratively, whatever they can, in response to the assassination of C. Kirk.
That’s way better than using guns.
Sooo the Bill of Rights has been amended to strike down free speech? Nobody said that you need to agree with what he said, but supposedly, he has a Constitutional Right to say it.
And their bosses have the right to kick their butts off their networks.
Rights and freedoms are working OK, here.
But Government does not have the right to use its powers to coerce broadcasters to punish speech
John Rocker of the Atlanta Braves agrees with you.
Amazing, peoples! This fucking retard continues to bring up despised and ostracized losers who spout stupid shit! Is there no depth that this ignorant fuck won’t sink to!
LMAO. Finally, something funny coming from these two wankers!
What the fuck would a retard, like you, know what’s funny?
This is ridiculous! Talk about muzzling everyone who isn’t in accordance with the president!! This is getting really scary folks!!
It is Nazi style! Can’t we stop it now ? Has everyone gone crazy??
Learn what a nazi is. Stop being sooooo ignorant
Learn what a nazi is. Stop being sooooo ignorant, you projecting jackbooted cunt!
Its about time. Its not a free speech issue. Rosanne what terminated by abc and disney instantly . where were all the free speachers then? kimmel ratings are trash. perfect opp. for abc to cut him lose. He is not a comedian , he is a political activist. Late nite was entertaining and funny and light. Now it is activisim. Johnny knew what he was talking about.
1. Roseanne’s comments were far more offensive than anything Kimmel said! She deserved her fate, unlike Kimmel!
2. Kimmel was second only to Colbert in the ratings! Hardly the trash you fucking claim it to be!
3. Kimmel was known more as a douchebro when he got the hosting gig. Hardly what you call a political activist! But, unlike you, he grew up!
4. You’re too frucking retarded to be talking about this, bitchole!
So, Mr. Callahan — what “trash ratings”? Show the numbers. Kimmel’s been on air almost 30 years, same as Carson. If he were dead weight, he’d be gone already.
Can you say “Cancel culture “
Freedom of speech and The Constitution only exist for the party in office now.if you are not part of the “in” group you can be jailed, fired, sued or threatened and those that are participating in this behavior have no ramifications. it’s just accepted behavior as they don’t know any better, have any values or know the laws.
Colbert should invite Jimmy Kimmel to his show.
seems to me that trump is the only one with fre speech! he blurts out anything and everything he wants about anyone he wants even if his GD comments are lies. it was July 3, 2031 he publicly spoke about saying that all you need to do is to repeat something over snd over again and eventually people will believe you. sue the bas—-! he is not god. unless you interpret a piece of shit as him being god, in his eyes.
If you do not see this as an oppression of free speech then you really are dumb as rocks. It is in our constitution. Kimmel doesn’t care for Frump and his lies and neither do I. Let Kimmel speak for those opposed to Frumps stupidity and oppression.
FACIST GOVERNMENT,FELON FAKE PRESIDENT,MURDERER, ,takes out clean air,clean water,wipes out clean energy. WORTHLESS HUMAN BEING
Fuck Trumpieceofshit
tRump and the MAGA right are such hypocrites. The gutless Repubs in Congress are collaborators in the downfall of of the Great American Experiment!!
I’m reminded of the comedy presented by such films as “Being There”, and the short film presentations by The Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin and W.C. Fields made in the 1930’s in response to both Mussolini and Hitler’s fascist rhetoric. An idiot can rise to power if he chooses to use and control the press to debase his opposition and force upon all his conception of what is right and correct. Lessons forgotten are lessons repeated. The first step in eliminating democratic decency was and is now how best to control free speech. If this doesn’t ring familiar, perhaps you, too, are a Nazi. If you are Isreal, you ignore all of the UN rules of humane consideration and kill them all. If that is your political bent, be aware that all of those ideologies failed miserably when ultimately confronted with honorable decencies. I hate you, you hate me. Over what? Maybe I should kill you for what you believe and that belief is proven false. Maybe you deserve being killed. That is not nor should it be the mentality of we humans. I believe we evolved from territorial animals which fought for their territories for feeding and breeding control. With the exception of the ignorant people in depraved barbaric regions in the middle east, I have always felt our intellectualism surpassed that barbarism. But, when the leader of the free world resorts to that kind of behavior, it’s a strong indicator that we haven’t progressed intellectually at all. He supports ignoring scientific facts. He ignores all but those who may make him richer. He is a convicted sexual molester still trying to keep his indecencies from being publicly acknowledged and realized. He’s so afraid of losing power he asks his minions to redesign electoral maps. He’s a bad man in power!! And many of you are falling for his false plan of righteousness based on greed. This man is so egoistic that he doesn’t give a shit about the projected future of the entire human race. Let’s breed like rats. Let’s stop aborting unwanted offspring. Fuck, Fuck and Fuck some more until the planet is overrun with ignorant humans who are the offspring of previous generations who have abused what was left of the natural resources. We brilliant human beings have the unmistaken ability to ruin the very natural resources from which they derived subsistence. Forgive me for prattling on. Sadly, it’s all true. Sue me if I’m wrong. You too, can be a Donald and ruin everything in your quest for misguided control and power
current events are breaking my heart as our democracy teeters on the precipice.