Late-night television turned into one giant crossover event as some of America’s biggest comedy hosts gathered to celebrate Stephen Colbert before his final week on CBS. The conversation quickly shifted from jokes to politics, with Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and John Oliver discussing Donald Trump’s long-running fixation on late-night comedians and their shows.
Late Night hosts unite for Stephen Colbert’s last show
Monday’s episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert brought together Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver for a farewell-style panel ahead of Colbert’s final episode on May 21. The hosts reflected on how late-night TV has changed and why it still matters even as audiences increasingly move online.
Kimmel pointed to the loyal fan base these shows still have. He joked that viewers reacted strongly when his show briefly disappeared from the air. “People watch us on YouTube now,” he said, while arguing that audiences still return to late-night despite endless streaming choices. “People have a lot of different options, and they keep coming to us,” Kimmel said (via Variety).
The discussion soon turned toward Donald Trump and his repeated criticism of late-night comedians. Colbert asked the panel whether they ever imagined a U.S. president would openly react to their jokes. Kimmel responded by mentioning his recent back-and-forth involving First Lady Melania Trump. “You know what’s even weirder? Doing a job that his wife has strong feelings about,” Kimmel joked.
Meyers then joked that Trump’s posting on Truth Social during broadcasts proves he is actively watching the shows live. “The thing I like is that he posts when the show airs,” Meyers said. “I appreciate that he is watching linear television.”
CBS announced in July 2025 that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end, calling it a financial decision. Still, the cancellation sparked debate because of Paramount’s merger talks with Skydance and Trump’s public criticism of Colbert. Former host David Letterman later blasted network executives, calling them “lying weasels” in a separate interview while defending Colbert’s run on the show.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
