From Jon Stewart to Stephen Colbert, late-night hosts sounded off on the sudden suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after ABC executives caved under pressure from the Trump administration.
“With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch,” Colbert said in his opening monologue on Thursday. “If ABC thinks that this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive. Clearly, they’ve never read the children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Kimmel.”
In a more satirical bent, Stewart went full state media, projecting pictures of the White House’s gaudy interiors onto the background of his set while sarcastically shivering in fear. “We have another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show,” said Stewart. He then showered President Trump with fake flattery that included praise for Trump’s “undeniable sexual charisma.”
Over at NBC, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon similarly nodded to state media.
“I just want to say, before we get started here, that I’ve always admired and respected Mr. Trump,” Meyers said.
He added, “And if you’ve ever seen me say anything negative about him, that’s just AI.”
Together, the hosts deployed their usual blend of mockery and sobering commentary to condemn Kimmel’s suspension. The message was clear: ABC’s shocking move is yet another canary in the coal mine, a warning of the Trump administration’s autocratic rule.
