Kimmel speaks out after shock suspension, colbert reflects on his own TV cancellation

Jimmy Kimmel has broken his silence on the shock suspension that took him off the air just minutes before taping, sharing a rare glimpse into the whirlwind of confusion, disbelief, and tension that followed.

Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 30 night, Kimmel recounted learning he had been taken off-air by ABC on September 17, just 90 minutes before his show was scheduled to begin, following controversy over his remarks regarding the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“This is unusual. As far as I knew, they didn’t even know I was doing a show today,” Kimmel joked, describing the call he had to take from network executives while hiding in his office bathroom.

ABC, owned by Walt Disney, had pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely, citing a need to “take the temperature down” and prevent further escalation. “They said, ‘Listen, we want to defuse the situation. We’re concerned about what you’re going to say tonight, and we’ve decided it’s best to take the show off the air,’” Kimmel recalled.

The comedian described his reaction as pure disbelief. “I started complaining. I said I didn’t think it was a good idea. They said, ‘Well, we think it is.’ Then there was a vote, and I lost. I put on my pants, called the executive producers, and said, ‘They’re taking our show off the air.’”

The suspension left Kimmel shaken. “I thought it was over. I was convinced I would never get back on the air,” he said. His family was equally stunned by the abrupt decision. Audience members had already been seated and had to be sent home, while musician Howard Jones, scheduled to perform, played instead for the studio staff—a twist of irony given his song choice: Things Can Only Get Better.

In the days that followed, Kimmel likened the silence and uncertainty to “three days in jail” for a DUI — unable to publicly speak while speculation swirled. The suspension came after FCC chairman Brendan Carr urged ABC to act against Kimmel’s remarks, and Nexstar Media Group announced it would not air the show on its ABC affiliates.

Kimmel Live! returned on September 23, with Kimmel opening his monologue nearly in tears, defending his comments as an exercise of free speech rather than a joke.

Meanwhile, Colbert reflected on his own shocking news earlier this year when CBS informed him that The Late Show would end in May 2026. “I walk into the apartment, and my wife goes, ‘What happened? Did you get canceled?’ And I said, ‘Yes I did,’” Colbert recounted, describing the anxiety of sharing the news with his staff and audience.

Kimmel admitted he was “absolutely shocked” by CBS’ decision to cancel Colbert’s show. “It’s not right,” he said, while Colbert expressed relief and gratitude that Kimmel had returned to the air.

For Kimmel, the experience remains surreal. “It was an emotional roller coaster,” he told Colbert, reflecting on a period marked by uncertainty, public scrutiny, and the challenge of reclaiming his platform.