The late evening circuit bought its model of a singular crossover occasion Tuesday evening as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert appeared as company on one another’s exhibits.
It was a becoming stunt contemplating each discuss present hosts have been on the heart of noteworthy skilled conditions shrouded in political and nationwide significance, and each orbit in the identical universe of President Trump’s contempt. The 2 hosts, who’ve vocally supported one another by the respective ordeals on their exhibits, have been now capable of proceed the mutual backing in full pressure, face-to-face.
Within the wake of the fallout of Kimmel’s suspension earlier this month over feedback he made associated to the dying of conservative pundit Charlie Kirk, the not too long ago reinstated host charged forward with shifting his L.A.-based present to Brooklyn for every week as deliberate, with Colbert among the many star-studded listing of company. Colbert was effusive in his help of Kimmel after ABC pre-empted his discuss present, criticizing the choice as “blatant censorship.”
Kimmel, in the meantime, appeared on “The Late Present,” alongside pop star Sam Smith. Earlier this yr, CBS introduced it was canceling “The Late Present” and would finish after the season wraps in Could 2026 — marking not solely the top of Colbert’s run on the helm, but in addition bringing the late evening establishment to an in depth after a 30-year run. The choice, the corporate mentioned, was on account of monetary causes and never — as many have speculated — due to Colbert’s criticism of a deal between the Trump administration and Paramount, the father or mother firm of CBS, the community that airs “The Late Present,” over.a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Kimmel was one of many many who expressed disdain over the choice, even campaigning for Colbert to win an Emmy although Kimmel was on the identical poll. (Colbert in the end gained.)
Forward of Kimmel’s look on “The Late Present,” Colbert hosted one other late-night host, Conan O’Brien, who appeared as a visitor Monday, opening the dialog with, “Stephen, how’s late evening? What’s occurring? I’ve been out of it for slightly bit — catch me up on what’s occurring.”
“I’ll ship you the obituary,” Colbert replied.
Listed below are 5 standout moments from the evening of shared grievances.
Stephen Colbert, left, and Jimmy Kimmel backstage at “The Late Present.”
(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)
Colbert says he ‘sweat by his shirt’ the day he advised his workers ’The Late Present’ was canceled
In his first sit-down interview because the “The Late Present” was canceled, Colbert walked Kimmel by the timeline of his present’s cancellation. He mentioned he acquired the information from their mutual supervisor, James Dixon, after the taping of his present on July 16. He bought residence to his spouse, Evie McGee-Colbert, two and a half hours later. As he walked into the residence, in line with Colbert, his spouse mentioned, “What occurred? You get canceled?”
Dixon knew for every week however had been hesitant to relay the information to Colbert, who was on trip. As soon as he discovered the present’s destiny, Colbert mentioned he was uncertain about when he ought to break the information to his workers, debating whether or not to attend till after the summer time break or in September. His spouse, although, mentioned he would inform them the next day.
“We get into the constructing,” he mentioned, “I am going up the elevator, I stroll by the places of work. By time I get to my places of work, I’ve sweat by my shirt as a result of I didn’t need to know something my workers didn’t know. And I mentioned, ‘I’m going to inform my workers at the moment,’ however then we couldn’t do a present if I advised them as a result of all people can be bummed out and I’d be bummed out.”
He solely advised government producer Tom Purcell at first. He bought by the entire present. After which he requested the viewers and workers to stay round for yet another act so he may document the announcement.
“My stage supervisor goes, ‘Oh no, we’re performed, Steve, we’re performed.’ And I mentioned, ‘nope, there’s yet another act of the present. Please don’t let the viewers go away.’ And he goes, ‘No, boss, no. Boss. I bought that. I bought the factor right here. We’ve performed all the things.’ And I mentioned, ‘I’m conscious of that. And I’m right here to let you know there’s yet another act of the present,’” he defined. “So I went backstage, I mentioned, ‘All people, get on Zoom.’ I advised all people as briefly as I may in order that they wouldn’t discover out about it on air. After which I went again out on stage to inform all people. And I used to be so nervous about doing it proper — as a result of there was nothing within the prompter, I used to be simply talking off the cuff — that I f— up twice. And I needed to restart and the viewers thought it was a bit they usually began going, ‘Steve, you are able to do it.’ As a result of I all the time tousled on the sentence that advised them what was occurring. After which I bought to the sentence that really advised them was occurring, they usually didn’t chuckle.”
Kimmel, in flip, shared that he came upon about “The Late Present’s” cancellation whereas attending a No Kings protest march.
Kimmel says he took the decision from ABC about his suspension from the toilet
Jimmy Kimmel on “The Late Present with Stephen Colbert” Tuesday.
(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)
Like Colbert, Tuesday marked the primary time Kimmel had been interviewed since his suspension earlier this month, and he detailed the day he bought the information he was being pulled from the air.
Kimmel’s workplace is busy — there’s roughly 5 different folks working in there with him always, he advised Colbert. So when ABC executives wished to talk with him lower than two hours earlier than he was set to tape that evening’s episode, Kimmel resorted to the toilet to take the decision in personal.
“I’m on the telephone with the ABC executives, they usually say, ‘Pay attention, we need to take the temperature down. We’re involved about what you’re gonna say tonight, and we determined that one of the best route is to take the exhibit the air,’” Kimmel mentioned earlier than the viewers interjected with boos.
“There was a vote, and I misplaced the vote, and so I put my pants again on and I walked out to my workplace,” earlier than telling a few of his producing group the information, he mentioned. “My spouse mentioned I used to be whiter than Jim Gaffigan after I got here out.”
The choice on Kimmel’s suspension got here so late within the day that the viewers was already of their seats and needed to be despatched residence, Kimmel advised Colbert.
An indication of the instances?
Whereas touting the crossover occasion in his monologue (“We thought it may be a enjoyable method to drive the President nuts so…”), Kimmel took time to emphasize the groundswell of help Colbert has each in New York, the place he does his present, and in Kimmel’s homebase of L.A. To show it, the digicam lower to a photograph displaying indicators that have been displayed over the 101 freeway in L.A. when Kimmel went again on the air following his suspension. They learn: “Public strain works — Kimmel is again!”
“And that is the signal that’s up now,” Kimmel continued, chopping to video of newer signage over the freeway. “It says, “Now do Colbert.”
Gavin Newsom traveled to Brooklyn. Or did he?
Seth Meyers, left, Josh Meyers as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jimmy Kimmel on “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!”
(Randy Holmes/ABC)
The California governor — who additionally moonlights (by proxy of his social media group) because the unofficial No. 1 Trump troll — made the cross-country journey to Brooklyn to shock Kimmel on stage. Or did he? Because the host talked about the politician’s newest jab at Trump throughout his monologue, Newsom barreled onto the stage on a motorbike earlier than discovering his place subsequent to Kimmel for a roughly six-minute spiel, delivered in his finest California bro converse, on his mission to carry folks collectively.
“L.A and N.Y.C., we’re not so completely different,” Newsom mentioned. “I imply, we each simply need to be free to smoke weed whereas using our electrical scooters to a drag queen brunch.”
As Kimmel pressed how precisely they will achieve coming collectively, a blustering Newsom responded: “We already began, canine. These folks get it. They’ve their very own nice late evening hosts right here in NYC, however tonight they selected my homie from L.A. They may very well be partying with my dude, J-Fall and The Roots crew — they’re a rap band … since you did look confused. Anyway, these Brooklyn-istas got here to see you rather than testing the political commentary of John Oliver or J-Stew or pay their respects to Colbert earlier than he shipped off to Guantanamo Homosexual, or they might have gone and watched no matter that little creep Seth Meyers is doing … dude attire like a substitute Montessori trainer. I imply, have you learnt why he sits down for his jokes? Identical motive yo’ mama sits right down to pee.”
Cue a particular look from Seth Meyers, Kimmel’s pal and fellow late evening host to rein in … his brother? For the non-late evening connoisseurs studying this: Meyers’ brother, Josh, performed the “Covid bro” model of Newsom throughout the pandemic in sketches that aired on NBC’s “Late Evening with Seth Meyers.” Newsom took the gag additional on Tuesday, impersonating Josh impersonating himself on Kimmel’s stage.
“We’re bros, however no, we’re not,” Newsom as Josh mentioned. “Look, I get this on a regular basis, in all probability as a result of we’re each so sizzling.”
In the meantime, conserving the deliberate awkwardness going, Kimmel took the chance to say to Meyers that he was on the town if he wished to get dinner. Meyers responded: “What occurred along with your present? I assumed this complete factor was, you realize … “
“We’re again on the air,” Kimmel mentioned. “We’re again on now.”
It also needs to be famous that Kimmel, Colbert and Meyers later posed for a photograph onstage and uploaded it to their respective social media accounts with the caption, “Hello Donald!”
Guillermo brings the enjoyable (and the tequila)
Guillermo Rodriguez, left, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert taking a spherical of pictures on “The Late Present.”
(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)
Wanting forward on the remaining months Colbert will probably be on the air, Kimmel requested the host when he was going to “go nuts,” and recommended he lose his glasses and “possibly do some ayahuasca on set.” Kimmel then gifted him a bong with a Statue of Liberty design, which he known as a “chemistry set.”
Colbert began taking part in alongside by unbuttoning his blazer and saying “f— that” to a sign that he solely had a minute left within the phase. (“What are they gonna do, cancel me?” Colbert requested). Then, as if proper on cue, Guillermo Rodriguez, Kimmel’s pal and sidekick on his present, got here onto the stage with tequila (and three shot glasses) in hand.
On the primary spherical of Don Julio, Colbert made a toast: “To good pals, nice jobs and late-night TV.”
Colbert then poured one other spherical and Kimmel pulled out the bong he had gifted the host. The group then took yet another shot collectively and Kimmel toasted to Colbert.
Guillermo, who bought a spherical of hearty cheers from the group, is thought for giving out pictures and toasting with A-Listers at awards exhibits and different Hollywood occasions.
