Stephen Colbert Jokes About Being the “Only Martyr in Late Night” as Jimmy Kimmel Returns
Stephen Colbert had some fun on Monday night celebrating Jimmy Kimmel’s return to ABC after his suspension was lifted.
ABC announced on September 22 that Kimmel would be back on air after being “suspended indefinitely” following comments he made about the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk on the September 15 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The suspension came after Nexstar, a major station group, pulled Kimmel’s show from 32 ABC affiliates.
Before his own broadcast of The Late Show, Colbert posted a message on Instagram with a preview clip, writing, “This martyrdom ain’t big enough for the both of us!”
At the top of Monday’s show, Colbert addressed the news, saying, “Just a few hours before we taped this broadcast, we got word that our long, national late-nightmare is over. Because Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to air on ABC tomorrow, Tuesday night. Come on!”
He went on to celebrate Kimmel’s return, grabbing his recently won Emmy and joking, “Now that Jimmy’s not being canceled, I get to enjoy this again! Once more, I’m the only martyr in late nights. Unless, CBS, you want to announce anything? Still no? Right, because of the money thing, I forgot.”
CBS canceled The Late Show back in July, with the final episode scheduled for May 2026. CBS and Paramount said the decision was purely financial.
Colbert also speculated on why Disney reversed course. “After Kimmel was suspended, Google searches for ‘cancel Disney Plus’ and ‘cancel Hulu’ spiked, which explains why the other trending search was ‘how to entertain feral child without Bluey?’ So Disney put Kimmel back on because you, the American people, were upset,” he said.
“But not just people, also Ted Cruz, one of the conservatives who were outraged by the administration’s attack on free speech.”
On his podcast Verdict with Ted Cruz, the senator referenced a warning from FCC chairman Brendan Carr about companies taking action on Kimmel or facing further consequences.
Cruz compared it to a mafia-style threat, saying, “That’s right out of Goodfellas. That’s right, out of a mafioso coming into a bar, going, ‘Nice bar you have here. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.’”
Colbert couldn’t resist a joke about agreeing with Cruz, adding, “Wow, I gotta say, I am shocked that I agree with Ted Cruz on something.”
Colbert’s opening monologue highlighted the drama surrounding Kimmel’s suspension and gave fans plenty to laugh about while addressing the serious context behind the controversy.
It’s interesting to see late-night hosts navigating both comedy and current events so publicly. Colbert’s humor made a tense situation lighter, but it also shows how closely these shows are tied to politics and public opinion. What do you think about Colbert’s reaction to Kimmel returning? Share your thoughts in the comments.