It is no exaggeration to say that 2025 modified the panorama of late night time tv.
Though there have been the standard viral interview moments with celebrities, the yr was dominated by the cancellation of The Late Present with Stephen Colbert, the suspension and reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel, and the controversy that surrounded each of these occasions.
We have recapped among the largest late night time moments of 2025 under.
Seth Meyers tells Trump find out how to cease late night time hosts from mocking him
1. Stephen Colbert calling out his personal mother or father firm
In July, Paramount World agreed a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump after he filed a swimsuit in opposition to the corporate over the alleged “deceitful” enhancing of a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice-President Kamala Harris. Stephen Colbert — who works for Paramount-owned CBS — did not maintain again on the information, referring to the fee as “huge fats bribe,” and noting that Paramount had been attempting to safe the Trump administration’s approval of its merger with Skydance Media.
“As somebody who has alway been a proud worker of this community, I’m offended,” stated Colbert in his Late Present monologue. “And I do not know if something will ever restore my belief on this firm. However simply taking a stab at it, I might say $16 million would assist.”
2. Stephen Colbert asserting the cancelation of The Late Present
Simply days after his feedback about Paramount, Stephen Colbert started The Late Present by asserting that it had been cancelled — it’s going to run till Might 2026 earlier than ending for good.
“It is not simply the tip of our present, but it surely’s the tip of The Late Present on CBS,” Colbert informed the shocked viewers. “I am not being changed. That is all simply going away.”
3. Stephen Colbert ramping up his protection of Trump and Epstein
Regardless of CBS claiming the cancellation of The Late Present was “purely a monetary determination” and “not associated in any solution to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues occurring at Paramount,” some speculated that Paramount’s Skydance Media merger — which at that time nonetheless required approval from the Trump administration — could have been an element.
Regardless, Colbert, a longtime Trump critic, did not maintain again within the days after his announcement. He ramped up his protection of the president’s actions, telling him to “go **** your self” earlier than doubling down on his protection of Trump’s friendship with convicted baby intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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4. Jimmy Kimmel being suspended
In September, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! “indefinitely” from broadcast amidst Republican criticism towards Kimmel for his feedback about right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk’s killer and Republican reactions to Kirk’s loss of life. ABC’s determination appeared to stem from strain from the Trump administration; previous the corporate’s announcement, Federal Communications Fee (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr threatened the community to take motion in opposition to the late night time host (and like Colbert, a longtime Trump critic).
Main backlash ensued from celebrities and Kimmel’s fellow late night time hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Jon Oliver, all of whom provided their help whereas condemning censorship. In the meantime, Trump and his followers reacted with glee.
ABC-owned Disney+ and Hulu cancellations doubled through the suspension. Kimmel’s present was reinstated every week later, smashing viewership data.
5. John Oliver calling out Disney’s CEO in response
Following Kimmel’s suspension, John Oliver joined the late night time hosts displaying their help with a deep dive into precisely what the hell occurred. In a must-watch monologue, the Final Week Tonight host lambasted the threatening techniques utilized by Trump’s FCC chair Carr, and appealed on to Disney CEO Bob Iger, urging him to face as much as mother or father firm ABC utilizing “the one phrase that may genuinely make a weak bully go away…’F*** you. Make me.'”
6. Jon Stewart’s ‘administration compliant’ Day by day Present monologue
One other must-watch response to Kimmel’s suspension was The Day by day Present‘s 23-minute “administration-compliant” monologue from Jon Stewart poking enjoyable at censorship. Facetiously strolling on proverbial eggshells, the host referred to Donald Trump as “father” and informed the viewers to “shut the f*** up” in the event that they reacted negatively to the president — even in regard to Trump’s feedback saying Kimmel was suspended for having “zero expertise” as a substitute of threats from FCC chair Carr to Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! broadcaster ABC.
7. Seth Meyers calls Kimmel suspension ‘an enormous second in our democracy’
Late Night time host Seth Meyers has additionally been a goal of the president this yr, and likewise responded to Kimmel’s suspension by ABC with help. In a powerful monologue, Meyers took A Nearer Look at censorship and free speech in Donald Trump’s America.
“Trump promised to finish authorities censorship and produce again free speech, and he is doing the other,” stated Meyers, calling out Kimmel’s suspension. “It is a huge second in our democracy, and we should all arise for the ideas of free expression. There is a purpose free speech is within the very First Modification. It stands above all others.”
8. Kimmel’s record-breaking return monologue
Per week after his “indefinite” suspension by ABC, widespread backlash, and an impactful Disney+ and Hulu boycott, Kimmel’s present was reinstated on Sept. 24 — and his returning monologue smashed viewership data. Kimmel shouted out his fellow discuss present hosts Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, and Stephen Colbert.
The monologue turn out to be Kimmel’s most seen YouTube monologue of all time lower than a day after it went reside — proper now, it is sitting at 23 million views.
“This present will not be vital,” stated Kimmel in his monologue. “What’s vital is that we get to reside in a rustic that permits us to have a present like this…. Our freedom to talk is what [talk show hosts in other countries] admire most about this nation. And that is one thing I am embarrassed to say I took with no consideration till they pulled my buddy Stephen [Colbert] off the air, and tried to coerce the associates who run our present within the cities that you simply reside in to take my exhibit the air.
“That is not authorized. That is not American. That’s un-American, and it’s so harmful.”
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