It is no exaggeration to say that 2025 modified the panorama of late night time tv.
Though there have been the standard viral interview moments with celebrities, the 12 months was dominated by the cancellation of The Late Present with Stephen Colbert, the suspension and reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel, and the controversy that surrounded each of these occasions.
We have recapped a number of the largest late night time moments of 2025 beneath.
Seth Meyers tells Trump the best way to cease late night time hosts from mocking him
1. Stephen Colbert calling out his personal mum or dad firm
In July, Paramount International agreed a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump after he filed a go well with in opposition to the corporate over the alleged “deceitful” enhancing of a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice-President Kamala Harris. Stephen Colbert — who works for Paramount-owned CBS — did not maintain again on the information, referring to the cost as “large fats bribe,” and noting that Paramount had been making an attempt to safe the Trump administration’s approval of its merger with Skydance Media.
“As somebody who has alway been a proud worker of this community, I’m offended,” mentioned Colbert in his Late Present monologue. “And I do not know if something will ever restore my belief on this firm. However simply taking a stab at it, I might say $16 million would assist.”
2. Stephen Colbert asserting the cancelation of The Late Present
Simply days after his feedback about Paramount, Stephen Colbert started The Late Present by asserting that it had been cancelled — it would run till Might 2026 earlier than ending for good.
“It is not simply the tip of our present, but it surely’s the tip of The Late Present on CBS,” Colbert advised the shocked viewers. “I am not being changed. That is all simply going away.”
3. Stephen Colbert ramping up his protection of Trump and Epstein
Regardless of CBS claiming the cancellation of The Late Present was “purely a monetary choice” and “not associated in any technique to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues occurring at Paramount,” some speculated that Paramount’s Skydance Media merger — which at that time nonetheless required approval from the Trump administration — could have been an element.
Regardless, Colbert, a longtime Trump critic, did not maintain again within the days after his announcement. He ramped up his protection of the president’s actions, telling him to “go **** your self” earlier than doubling down on his protection of Trump’s friendship with convicted baby intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mashable High Tales
4. Jimmy Kimmel being suspended
In September, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Reside! “indefinitely” from broadcast amidst Republican criticism towards Kimmel for his feedback about right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk’s killer and Republican reactions to Kirk’s demise. ABC’s choice appeared to stem from stress from the Trump administration; previous the corporate’s announcement, Federal Communications Fee (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr threatened the community to take motion in opposition to the late night time host (and like Colbert, a longtime Trump critic).
Main backlash ensued from celebrities and Kimmel’s fellow late night time hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Jon Oliver, all of whom supplied their help whereas condemning censorship. In the meantime, Trump and his followers reacted with glee.
ABC-owned Disney+ and Hulu cancellations doubled in the course of the suspension. Kimmel’s present was reinstated every week later, smashing viewership information.
5. John Oliver calling out Disney’s CEO in response
Following Kimmel’s suspension, John Oliver joined the late night time hosts exhibiting their help with a deep dive into precisely what the hell occurred. In a must-watch monologue, the Final Week Tonight host lambasted the threatening ways utilized by Trump’s FCC chair Carr, and appealed on to Disney CEO Bob Iger, urging him to face as much as mum or dad firm ABC utilizing “the one phrase that may genuinely make a weak bully go away…’F*** you. Make me.'”
6. Jon Stewart’s ‘administration compliant’ Day by day Present monologue
One other must-watch response to Kimmel’s suspension was The Day by day Present‘s 23-minute “administration-compliant” monologue from Jon Stewart poking enjoyable at censorship. Facetiously strolling on proverbial eggshells, the host referred to Donald Trump as “father” and advised the viewers to “shut the f*** up” in the event that they reacted negatively to the president — even in regard to Trump’s feedback saying Kimmel was suspended for having “zero expertise” as a substitute of threats from FCC chair Carr to Jimmy Kimmel Reside! broadcaster ABC.
7. Seth Meyers calls Kimmel suspension ‘a giant second in our democracy’
Late Night time host Seth Meyers has additionally been a goal of the president this 12 months, and likewise responded to Kimmel’s suspension by ABC with help. In a robust monologue, Meyers took A Nearer Look at censorship and free speech in Donald Trump’s America.
“Trump promised to finish authorities censorship and convey again free speech, and he is doing the other,” mentioned Meyers, calling out Kimmel’s suspension. “This can be a large second in our democracy, and we should all get up for the ideas of free expression. There is a purpose free speech is within the very First Modification. It stands above all others.”
8. Kimmel’s record-breaking return monologue
Every week after his “indefinite” suspension by ABC, widespread backlash, and an impactful Disney+ and Hulu boycott, Kimmel’s present was reinstated on Sept. 24 — and his returning monologue smashed viewership information. Kimmel shouted out his fellow speak present hosts Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, and Stephen Colbert.
The monologue grow to be Kimmel’s most seen YouTube monologue of all time lower than a day after it went stay — proper now, it is sitting at 23 million views.
“This present just isn’t vital,” mentioned Kimmel in his monologue. “What’s vital is that we get to stay in a rustic that enables us to have a present like this…. Our freedom to talk is what [talk show hosts in other countries] admire most about this nation. And that is one thing I am embarrassed to say I took without any consideration till they pulled my good friend Stephen [Colbert] off the air, and tried to coerce the associates who run our present within the cities that you simply stay in to take my showcase the air.
“That is not authorized. That is not American. That’s un-American, and it’s so harmful.”
