Late-night hosts defended Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination during their first shows since Kimmel was indefinitely pulled from ABC.
Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, and Seth Meyers addressed the sensitive topic similarly, criticizing former President Trump and his supporters and attributing Kimmel’s suspension to the ensuing backlash.
Kimmel was taken off the air on Wednesday after his Monday monologue, in which he described suspected assassin Tyler Robinson as part of the “MAGA gang,” sparked widespread controversy.
Jimmy Kimmel Addresses Charlie Kirk’s Death on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
On Sept. 15, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel, 57, spoke about the recent death of Charlie Kirk during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Kimmel accused the so-called “MAGA gang” of attempting to politicize Kirk’s murder after the 31-year-old was shot at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel told his live audience.
In response, Nexstar Media Group, a primary ABC affiliate, confirmed it would “preempt” Kimmel’s program. Sinclair, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate conglomerate, said its stations would air a special in remembrance of Charlie Kirk during Kimmel’s time slot this Friday and continue the tribute across all Sinclair stations over the weekend.
Jimmy Fallon Responds to Kimmel’s Suspension on “The Tonight Show”
Jimmy Fallon opened The Tonight Show by addressing ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air, citing pressure from the Trump administration and the FCC.
“Well, guys, the big story is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking, ‘WTF?’” Fallon joked to an empathetic audience.
Fallon went on to say he would continue hosting his show without government oversight, before transitioning into a comedic segment covering Trump’s recent trip to the UK, during which certain names and words were reportedly censored.
Jimmy Fallon and Jon Stewart Respond to Kimmel Controversy
On The Tonight Show Sept. 18, 2025, Jimmy Fallon addressed the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension. Fallon joked about ABC’s decision, which came amid pressure from the Trump administration and the FCC.
“During the trip, protesters managed to project images onto the sides of Windsor Castle of Trump standing next to his good friend, Jeff (dubbed over) ‘Goldblum.’ Even though his administration still insists that he’s not in the (dubbed over) ‘Goldblum files.’ Which we all know is absolute bull- (dubbed over) ‘true,’” Fallon quipped.
Fallon also shared his support for Kimmel, expressing hope that his colleague would return to hosting. “I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, loving, funny guy. And I hope he comes back,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jon Stewart made a rare mid-week appearance on The Daily Show Thursday night. Usually hosting only on Mondays, the 62-year-old was introduced as the “patriotically obedient host” of the “all-new government-approved Daily Show.”
Wearing a dark suit and red tie reminiscent of President Trump’s signature style, Stewart delivered a 23-minute opening monologue, feigning nervousness and joking with the live audience to stifle laughter. “We have another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show,” Stewart said.
Jon Stewart and Seth Meyers Weigh In on Trump, Kimmel Controversy
On Sept. 18, 2025, Jon Stewart returned mid-week to The Daily Show, donning a dark suit and red tie reminiscent of President Trump’s signature style. Stewart opened with a satirical monologue lampooning Trump’s recent trip to the UK.
“Coming to you tonight from a real s–thole, the crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster, like no one has ever seen before. Someone’s National Guard should invade this place, am I right?” Stewart quipped.
He continued, mockingly addressing the president’s absence: “If you felt a little off these past couple of days, it’s probably because our great father has not been home, for father has been gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance.”
Stewart offered a tongue-in-cheek civics lesson, explaining how the First Amendment supposedly interacts with presidential oversight: “There’s something called a talent-o-meter… it tells the president when a performer’s TQ — talent quotient, measured mostly by niceness to the president — goes below a certain level, at which point the FCC must be notified to threaten acquisition prospects for billion-dollar mergers of network affiliates.”
The segment concluded with Stewart and the ensemble of other Daily Show hosts, all in matching suits and red ties, performing a satirical song praising the commander in chief’s “appearance and accomplishments.”
Meanwhile, Seth Meyers opened Late Night with Seth Meyers with a pointed critique of the Trump administration before delivering tongue-in-cheek praise for the 79-year-old former president. “Donald Trump is on his way back from a trip to the United Kingdom, where he was met with protest, while back here at home, his administration is pursuing a crackdown on free speech,” Meyers said before launching into his “A Closer Look” segment.
Seth Meyers Addresses Kimmel Controversy on “Late Night”
On Sept. 18, 2025, Seth Meyers opened Late Night with Seth Meyers with a joke-filled monologue poking fun at former President Trump’s UK visit, including a state dinner with King Charles and the royal family.
Meyers concluded his remarks by expressing support for Jimmy Kimmel and asserting his independence from NBC executives. “May I just say, it is a privilege and honor to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, the same way it is a privilege and honor to do this show every night. I wake up every day and count my blessings that I at least live in a country that purports to value freedom of speech,” he said.
He added, “We’re going to keep doing our show like we always do with enthusiasm and integrity,” punctuating the statement with a humorous sound effect played over his words.
