Jimmy Kimmel has hit out at studies that The Late Present With Stephen Colbert was shedding cash earlier than the collection was canceled.
Selection printed a brand new interview with the late-night host on Monday, August 18, which featured quotes he shared final month about The Late Present‘s reported cash issues. “I simply need to say that the concept Stephen Colbert‘s present was shedding $40 million a yr is past nonsensical,” Kimmel advised the outlet. “These alleged insiders who supposedly analyze the budgets of the reveals — I don’t know who they’re, however I do know they don’t know what they’re speaking about.”
In line with Kimmel, the monetary loss studies appeared “to solely be centered on promoting income and have fully forgotten about affiliate charges, which quantity within the tons of of thousands and thousands — most likely in complete billions — and you should allocate a sure proportion of these charges to late-night reveals.” He added, “It truly is stunning how little the media appears to learn about how the media works. There’s simply not a snowball’s probability in hell that that’s wherever close to correct. Even that — that’s all it’s worthwhile to know. Abruptly he’s shedding $40 million a yr?”
Reflecting on his journey along with his personal collection, Jimmy Kimmel Stay!, he continued, “I’ll let you know, the primary 10 years I did the present, they claimed we weren’t making any cash — and we had 5 occasions as many viewers on ABC as we do now. Who is aware of what’s true? All I do know is that they preserve paying us — and that’s type of all it’s worthwhile to know.”
Randy Holmes/Disney Common Leisure Content material by way of Getty Photographs
CBS stunned viewers when it introduced final month that The Late Present would come to an finish in Could 2026. The community claimed the cancellation was purely a monetary determination and “not associated in any solution to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues taking place at Paramount.”
The cancellation got here sizzling on the heels of CBS’s mum or dad firm, Paramount, settling a $16 million lawsuit with President Donald Trump over an alleged edited 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris from 2024. The settlement additionally got here amid Paramount’s merger with the media firm Skydance, which needed to obtain approval from the FCC.
Some have speculated that Trump performed a job in The Late Present‘s cancellation, as Colbert is thought for criticizing the present presidential administration on the collection. Trump, for his half, denied any involvement within the determination in a July 29 Reality Social submit, writing, “All people is saying that I used to be solely chargeable for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night time. That isn’t true! The explanation he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the truth that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million {Dollars} a yr in losses — And it was solely going to get WORSE!”
He went on to assault Kimmel and fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon, stating, “Subsequent up will probably be a good much less proficient Jimmy Kimmel, after which, a weak, and really insecure, Jimmy Fallon. The one actual query is, who will go first? Present Biz and Tv is a quite simple enterprise. In case you get Scores, you’ll be able to say or do something. In case you don’t, you at all times turn into a sufferer. Colbert turned a sufferer to himself, the opposite two will comply with.”
Trump beforehand claimed Kimmel will probably be “NEXT to go within the untalented Late Night time Sweepstakes” in a July 22 Reality Social submit. Kimmel clapped again by sharing a screenshot of the submit by way of his Instagram that very same day, writing, “I’m listening to you’re subsequent. Or perhaps it’s simply one other fantastic secret.”
The Late Present With Stephen Colbert, Returns, Tuesday, September 2, 11:35/10:35c, CBS