Jon Stewart addressed ABC’s decision to pull his late-night rival Jimmy Kimmel off the air following remarks concerning the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
During the episode of The Daily Show that aired on Thursday, September 18, Stewart, 62, declared he would maintain the role of a “patriotically obedient” host on a “government approved” show.
“We’re in for another fun, hilarious, administration-sanctioned show,” Stewart joked, playfully urging the audience not to boo President Donald Trump. “Don’t f***ing blow this for us!” he shouted.
Stewart discussed Trump’s trip to England, humorously praising the president while feigning fear before launching into a commentary on free speech.
“Our great administration has clarified its stance on free speech. Some naysayers may argue that these speech concerns are simply a ploy—a thin facade. A smokescreen to distract from an unprecedented consolidation of power and a unilateral intimidation that runs counter to any constitutional republic governance,” Stewart stated. “Some might say that. Not me, though. I think it’s fantastic.”
He concluded his opening segment with his correspondents, all dressed in red ties and blue blazers reminiscent of Trump’s signature style, singing a high-pitched anthem in honor of the president.
Stewart, who recently criticized CBS for the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in May 2026, usually hosts The Daily Show on Mondays but adjusted his schedule to address this shocking late-night development.
An ABC spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 17, that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be “pre-empted indefinitely” due to comments made by Kimmel, 57, during his monologue on Monday, September 15. Kimmel had criticized Utah Governor Spencer Cox for suggesting on Meet the Press that Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, had a “leftist ideology.”
“The MAGA Gang [is] trying desperately to depict this young man who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything but one of their own while trying to score political points from this tragedy,” Kimmel stated on Monday. “Amidst the blame game, there was also grieving.”
Kirk, who was just 31 years old, was shot while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10. Police apprehended Robinson on September 13, and the 22-year-old suspect faces serious charges, including capital murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, with additional lesser counts of obstruction of justice and witness tampering. He remains in custody at Utah County Jail without bail, awaiting a waiver hearing on Monday, September 29.
In light of Kimmel’s comments on Monday, the largest TV station operator in the country, Nexstar Media, announced that “its owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future, starting with tonight’s show.”
Kimmel has yet to comment on his show’s suspension, but sources have revealed to Us that the staff at Jimmy Kimmel Live! are uncertain about the show’s future and what a potential return to work could look like.
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ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel has faced widespread criticism across Hollywood, with late-night legend David Letterman directly associating the suspension with Kimmel’s ongoing feud with President Donald Trump.
“In a world governed by authoritarianism, sooner or later, everyone is affected. For 30 years, I’ve witnessed this,” Letterman, 78, remarked. “I lament this situation because we can all see where this is headed. It’s managed media, and it’s troubling. It’s absurd. You can’t just fire someone out of fear or to appease an authoritarian regime in the Oval Office. This is not how things should operate.”
