Jimmy Kimmel isn’t holding back.
In a fiery interview with Variety, the Emmy-nominated host delivered a passionate defense of his friend and fellow late-night comedian Stephen Colbert, dismantling industry reports with the precision of someone who’s been in the trenches for decades.
Calling Out the “$40 Million” Myth
When asked about widespread reports claiming Colbert’s “Late Show” was losing $40 million annually before its recent cancellation by CBS, Kimmel didn’t mince words: “There’s just not a snowball’s chance in hell that that’s anywhere near accurate.”
The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host took particular aim at so-called industry analysts who, in his view, fundamentally misunderstand television economics. “These alleged insiders who supposedly analyze the budgets of the shows — I don’t know who they are, but I do know they don’t know what they’re talking about,” Kimmel said, clearly frustrated by what he sees as widespread misinformation.
His critique centers on a crucial oversight: affiliate fees. “They seem to only be focused on advertising revenue and have completely forgotten about affiliate fees, which number in the hundreds of millions — probably in total billions,” he explained. “You must allocate a certain percentage of those fees to late-night shows.”
Late-Night Television: Dead or Thriving?
Kimmel’s defense of Colbert extends to the entire late-night landscape, challenging the prevailing narrative that the genre is dying. His argument? The numbers tell a different story when you look beyond traditional TV ratings.
“More people are watching late-night television than ever before — and I include Johnny Carson in that,” Kimmel claimed, citing impressive digital viewership statistics. His own monologues generate 2-5 million views nightly, while Seth Meyers pulls in 2 million on YouTube alone. Jon Stewart’s Monday night “Daily Show” episodes regularly hit 5 million views.
“When Carson was at his peak, he was getting around 9 million viewers a night,” Kimmel noted. “But people are still watching late-night — just in different places.”
Standing with Colbert
Beyond the economics lesson, Kimmel’s interview reveals genuine friendship and industry solidarity. He’s even put up a billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard declaring he’s voting for Colbert at the Emmy Awards — a gesture he calls “the least we could do at this point.”
“I think it will be a nice statement if he does win,” Kimmel said. “Obviously, awards don’t mean much, but every once in a while they do, and in this case, I think it will.”
The camaraderie extends to a group text chain with other late-night hosts that became especially active during the recent writers’ strike. “We are really close,” Kimmel explained. “I think we were all shocked and disappointed that this kind of thing is happening in America.”
The Real Story Behind the Numbers
Kimmel’s most telling observation might be the simplest: “All I know is they keep paying us — and that’s kind of all you need to know.” It’s a practical perspective from someone who lived through similar industry doom-saying during his own show’s early years.
“The first 10 years I did the show, they claimed we weren’t making any money — and we had five times as many viewers on ABC as we do now,” he recalled. “Who knows what’s true?”
As the media landscape continues evolving, Kimmel’s defense of late-night television — and Colbert specifically — serves as a reminder that behind the headlines and industry speculation are real people creating content that millions still eagerly consume, just not necessarily on traditional television screens.
