Donald Trump turned up the heat on his fight with late night television this week. He took aim at Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon, saying they have no talent. He also predicted that after Colbert’s show ends, the others could be next.
At a White House press conference, Trump said: “They have no talent.” He added that he could “pick any random person off the street” to do just as well or even better, and still pull in more viewers than Colbert.
He said Fallon and Kimmel should not feel too safe because they might be the next to have their shows pulled.
CBS announced back in July that The Late Show will wrap up in 2026. They said it was because of money issues and less ad revenue, even though it has been the top rated late night show for nearly ten years.
Some people think politics may have played a part, especially after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount Global over a settlement with Trump.
Jimmy Kimmel made his support for Colbert clear. He showed up on a West Hollywood billboard promoting Colbert’s Emmy campaign instead of his own. It was seen as a rare public move to show unity in the entertainment world.
Fallon, at least for now, seems safer with his contract running through 2028, and he has other work lined up like hosting Password and a new reality show called On Brand with Jimmy Fallon.
Industry watchers say Fallon and Seth Meyers look more secure than others in late night. But the whole late night field is having a tough time. Ad money is dropping, and more people are watching streaming instead.
The Writers Guild of America and Senator Elizabeth Warren have both called for a look into whether Colbert’s cancellation was tied to politics, especially after the CBS and Skydance Media merger.
Colbert did not stay quiet. The night of the announcement he used his monologue to accuse the network of being afraid. He hinted that big companies are giving in to what he called the “vengeful and vindictive” President.
What will happen to Fallon and Kimmel is anyone’s guess, but people are going to keep talking about it.
