Jimmy Kimmel has called on late-night viewers to cancel their Paramount+ subscriptions in a show of solidarity with Stephen Colbert after CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Final Farewell Episode
During Monday's episode of The Late Show, Kimmel joined fellow talk show hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and John Oliver for what would be their final appearance together before the show's last episode airs on May 21. The group used the moment to discuss the state of late-night television.
Kimmel, 58, drew a comparison to his own experience when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was temporarily pulled off the air in September following his comments about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. At that time, his fans responded by canceling their Disney+ subscriptions.
“I will tell you, when I got knocked off the air for a few days, people canceled Disney+,” Kimmel said. “Why aren’t you people canceling Paramount+? Because you never had it in the first place?”
Defending Late Night
During the episode, Colbert asked his guests to “make a case for late night,” prompting Kimmel to highlight the strength of the genre's fanbase. “We have a lot of shows. 30,000 people watching each one, and it adds up,” Kimmel said. “People watch us on YouTube now. People have a lot of different options and they keep coming to us.”
Paramount did not respond to The Independent's request for comment on Kimmel's remarks.
Controversy Surrounding Cancellation
CBS announced last July that it would cancel the long-running Late Show, describing Colbert as “irreplaceable” and insisting the decision was “purely a financial decision.” However, speculation has emerged that the show was canceled to appease President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of late-night shows, in order to secure FCC approval for the $8.4 billion merger between Paramount and David Ellison's Skydance.
The cancellation also came days after Colbert criticized Paramount for reaching a $16 million settlement with Trump over a lawsuit alleging that 60 Minutes edited a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris. Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe,” noting that legal experts deemed Trump's lawsuit frivolous.
Colbert's Legacy
Colbert took over as host of The Late Show from David Letterman in 2015, carrying the iconic franchise through its 33-year run. Kimmel confirmed that his show will air a rerun on the night of Colbert's final episode to avoid competing with the sendoff, a move he also made for Letterman's finale in 2015.
Starting May 22, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen will take over the 11:35 p.m. time slot previously held by Colbert.
