Late-night television hosts Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Fallon addressed the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel during their shows on Thursday. Kimmel's program, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", was suspended indefinitely by ABC following his comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Stewart used satire to critique the suspension, while Colbert described it as "blatant censorship." Fallon expressed his support for Kimmel, stating he would continue his show as usual.

Fallon opened his monologue by acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding Kimmel's situation. "To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on. And no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny and loving guy, and I hope he comes back," he said. His guests, including actor Jude Law and journalist Tom Llamas, did not discuss Kimmel's suspension.

In contrast, Stewart and Colbert featured guests who could address the implications of censorship. Stewart interviewed journalist Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who shared her experiences facing multiple arrest warrants in the Philippines. Ressa emphasized the importance of perseverance, stating, "We just kept doing our jobs. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other."

Stewart's show opened with a voiceover that mocked the situation, saying, "We have another fun, hilarious administration-compliant show." He humorously criticized President Donald Trump’s comments about urban crime and the National Guard's deployment. Stewart's set was decorated with gold engravings, parodying the gold accents added to the Oval Office under Trump.

Colbert began his monologue with a parody of the song "Be Our Guest" from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," changing the lyrics to "Shut your trap. Shut your trap." He expressed solidarity with Kimmel, stating, "If ABC thinks that this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive." Colbert also responded to comments made by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, who suggested that broadcasters should push back against programming that does not align with community values. Colbert asserted, "Well, you know what my community values are, buster? Freedom of speech."

Kimmel's suspension followed his remarks about the reaction to Kirk's killing, where he suggested that some were trying to exploit the tragedy. ABC's decision came after a group of affiliated stations refused to air his show, and Carr indicated that there was a strong case for holding Kimmel and ABC accountable for spreading misinformation. Kimmel has not publicly commented on the suspension.

The situation has raised concerns about media freedom, with Colbert stating, "What we are seeing now is the government acting at the direction of the president of the United States to put pressure on, to manipulate, to silence and even to shut down institutions of the free word." Former late-night host David Letterman also expressed concern over the current media landscape, stating, "It’s managed media. It’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous."

The events surrounding Kimmel's suspension have sparked discussions about the influence of political pressure on media and the implications for free speech in the entertainment industry.