Jimmy Kimmel Returns to Monologue on Late-Night Dynamics

LOS ANGELES, CA — Jimmy Kimmel made his return to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday following a summer hiatus, launching into a monologue that addressed a flurry of news that broke during his absence. Kimmel focused heavily on recent developments surrounding President Donald Trump.

During his opening remarks, Kimmel remarked on the overwhelming nature of the news cycle, describing Trump as “like Ultron; he just keeps going,” referencing the fictional villain known for his relentless nature. Kimmel expressed how the ongoing stream of unpredictable events made it difficult for him to unwind.

Kimmel also touched on the recent cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” sharing that this was the number one question fans had for him over the summer. He noted that, although CBS termed the cancellation a “financial decision,” it came on the heels of Colbert humorously targeting CBS’s parent company, Paramount, over a significant financial settlement with Trump.

“CBS claimed ‘The Late Show’ was losing $40 million a year, and then miraculously got FCC approval for a company sale, which is what they wanted,” Kimmel stated, hinting at the questionable timing of the cancellation.

Trump himself joined the fray in a July post on Truth Social, highlighting the late-night show’s winding down and taking jabs at Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon. Kimmel responded to Trump’s reaction, labeling it “alarming” and critiqued Trump’s stance on cancel culture. “Did we hurt your feelings?” Kimmel quipped, raising eyebrows in the audience.

In a twist of events, Kimmel announced that his show would head to New York for a week of tapings at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, with Colbert set to appear as a guest. “If you’re the White House intern in charge of strategically unplugging the president’s TV, that’ll be a good night to do it,” Kimmel joked, alluding to the ongoing coverage of both Trump and the late-night landscape.

Meanwhile, on “The Late Show,” Colbert welcomed guest John Oliver, where they shared a laugh over the state of late-night television and Colbert’s new Funko Pop figurine. Colbert toasted to late-night shows, quipping, “while supplies last.”