Once upon a time the chuckle-heavy world oflate night TVwas a Hollywood fairytale. Now it's a nightmare. And it all may soon be coming to an end.
In 2025 we saw the biggest tumult in the world of late night TV sinceJay Leno and Conan O'Brien were at odds back in 2010, a dustup that seems like an amusing kerfuffle these days. In July, CBS announced that"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" would end in May of 2026, a cancelation of a late night institution that many thought was the first death knell for the genre. And then, only two months later, ABC (and its parent company Disney)temporarily pulled "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the airafter Kimmel was criticized by the President-Trump appointed Chair of the FCC, restoring him only after a global uproar.
Going into 2026, the future of an entire genre of television, one with over half a century of history and influence on popular (and everyday) culture, is in question. Will late night TV survive?
If we've learned anything from Kimmel and Colbert's experiences in 2025, don't count these guys out yet.
The big year in late night TV − Colbert and Kimmel
2025 has been a heck of a year, but even amidst so much chaos, the fates of two late night comedians were still some of the most talked about moments these past 12 months.
On a July 17 episode of "The Late Show," Colbert announced that CBSwas canceling the entire seriesfor good after the 2025-2026 season, its 11th overall. "This is all just going away," the comedian, 61, told a shocked audience.
Theanalysis and commentaryon the cancelation came immediately. CBS' parent company, Paramount, said it was all about math. "This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount," Paramount and CBS executives said at the time. Those other matters were a merger with Skydance Media, which required regulatory approval from the Trump administration, a frequent target of Colbert's criticism (the merger has since gone through, and now, months later, the new Paramount Skydance is seekinga hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery).
But the collision of politics and late night truly came to a massive head in September, after Kimmel made comments about the reaction of those on the right to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel's comments were swiftly criticized by many Republicans, including FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who said on a podcast, "This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
Soon after, Kimmel was yanked from affiliates owned by Sinclair Broadcasting and Nexstar Media (the latter also involved in a merger), and suspended "indefinitely" by ABC. Theoutragefrom fellow comedians, free-speech advocates, Hollywood, politicians on the left and the right, and talking heads all over the world was swift. When Disney allowed Kimmel back on the air, less than a week later, it was toan audience of 6.26 million, his highest viewership in a decade.
Did 2025 spell the end of late night TV as we know it?
Since Kimmel's watershed moment in late September, late night TV has been quiet. Well, as quiet as can be for a type of TV show known for silly games and outrageous viral videos. All of the hosts − Kimmel, Colbert as well as NBC's Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon and HBO's John Oliver and Comedy Central's Jon Stewart − continue to criticize and bash Trump as they see fit. On Dec. 9 Kimmel's contract with ABC was renewed through 2027.
And every day (well, Mondays through Thursdays, excluding hiatuses and holidays) they keep putting out new shows.
For years, broadcast late-night TV comedians have seen declining audiences, leaned more toward political humor over cultural takes and struggled to adapt to a modern media landscape where streaming services, YouTube and TikTok compete with traditional TV viewing.
CBS recently ended its 12:30 a.m. series, comedy panel show"After Midnight,"after just over a year, when host Taylor Tomlinson decided to leave in favor of her standup career. Meyers' show recentlyaxed its live, in-studio bandas a cost-cutting measure. "Tonight Show" went fromfive nights a week to fourin 2024, joining the other late-night shows. Conan O'Brien, who very briefly inherited the "Tonight Show" throne (in 2009 and 2010), has moved from decades of traditional late night TV on NBC and later TBS to the podcasting (now itself a huge media market). Samantha Bee's TBS talk show was also canceled back in July 2022.
But what if late night TV is more relevant than ever?
If late night TV was really on the outs, we wouldn't be looking to the likes of Kimmel, Colbert, Meyers and Fallon during moments like Kirk's death, or the recent deaths of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner, and his wife Michelle Singer Reiner.
But it was on Kimmel's show Dec. 15 where former First Lady Michelle Obama processed her own grief about the murdered couple, whom she knew personally. It was Kimmel who was able to publicly react to PresidentDonald Trump's widely-admonished remarks about the director's death. "It's so hateful and vile, when I first saw it, I thought it was fake," Kimmel said of Trump's comments about Reiner, adding, "I know from my personal interactions with Rob Reiner that he would want us to keep pointing out the loathsome atrocities that continue to ooze out of this sick and irresponsible man's mouth, and so we're going to do that over and over again until the rest of us wake up."
It is not just tragedy that brings our attention to these comedians after 11:00pm. WhenTaylor Swift, the biggest superstar we have on this planet at the moment, released her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl" back in October, she made sure to stop by both Fallon and Meyers' desks. Upon the release of her new documentary on Disney+, she just dropped by Colbert's studio on Dec. 10. She has hundreds of millions of social media followers she can speak to directly, podcasts she can join and journalists to grant time with, and yet she still takes her work to late night TV to promote.
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel from "The Man Show" appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2001." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmell sits at a late night host practice desk and interviews with "TRL" host Carson Daly in New York on Jan. 14, 2003." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman during 2nd annual Lakers Casino Night Benefiting the Lakers Youth Foundation red carpet at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California, in 2005." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the American Cinematheque 24th annual awards show to honor Matt Damon at The Beverly Hilton on March 27, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Emily Blunt onstage during the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards on Jan. 14, 2011." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Flavor Flav at the American Music Awards in 2006. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and NBA player Kobe Bryant in 2013." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney in New York City in 2014." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, John Stamos and comedian Don Rickles in Beverly Hills, California, in 2015." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
President Barack Obama talks with Jimmy Kimmel during a taping of his late-night talk show in 2015." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Hillary Clinton appears on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show in 2016. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, wife Molly McNearney and daughter Jane Kimmel attend the 7th annual L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade at UCLA on Sept. 10, 2016, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel attends the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Lionel Richie at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Feb. 13, 2016 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel present the award for lead actress in a comedy series during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sept. 22, 2019." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel court side at a Los Angeles Lakers game in 2023. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel delivers the opening monologue during the 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel watches the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 25, 2024." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jimmy Kimmel, winner of the outstanding host for a game show award for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," attends the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Most memorable Jimmy Kimmel moments as his show returns to air after suspension
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel from "The Man Show" appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2001.
There are a few million viewers of the late night shows on air and the next day online, sure, but perhaps what is making late night remain relevant for the likes of Swift and the other A-listers who drop by weekly is something more ephemeral. There is something sweet and earnest about sitting on the couch with a funny man (almost always a man) who can make you look good, and occasionally, get some truths. There is something nostalgic and comforting about the genre, and that might be all it needs to endure.
Once upon a time Johnny Carson lulled America to sleep with wit and panache every night from the stage of "The Tonight Show" on NBC, watched by millions and respected by nearly all. Hosting from 1962-1992, Carson's peak average ratings were more than triple the current late night hosts combined, and his farewell episode drew 50 million viewers. He essentiallywaspopular culture, making careers of comedians with an invite to his couch and talking America through our biggest historic moments.
Those days are decidedly over. But perhaps when Colbert signs off in 2026, he won't trigger a domino effect of doom for his late-night compatriots. Instead, maybe these comedians, who are all smart innovators funny and exciting enough to get and keep the jobs in the first place, will come up with something new to bolster their shows. Maybe Colbert's next act will be his best one yet. Maybe Kimmel and Trump will get in an even more jaw-dropping war of words.
Because we may not watch late night comedians the way we used to, but we're clearly not done with them yet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Kimmel, Colbert, Trump and how late night TV changed in 2025
