Followers of late-night TV are nonetheless reeling after Jimmy Kimmel’s present was abruptly pulled from ABC’s lineup.

The community suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” indefinitely following his feedback about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, sparking outrage and elevating issues about censorship.

Whereas the transfer shocked viewers, Stephen Colbert got here to his buddy’s protection on Thursday, calling out the choice as unfair and harmful. His fiery remarks resonated with audiences who concern the tip of free speech in leisure.

Colbert used his “Late Present” monologue to ship a pointy protection of Jimmy Kimmel.

In entrance of a cheering viewers, he mentioned, “I am going to say this for my community. They would not have performed this. Now, no matter what you suppose, that has already been performed and the way that appears, that is weak. That is blatant censorship.”

He went additional, warning about what occurs when networks cave to stress. “With an autocrat, you can not give an inch. Jimmy, I stand with you and your employees 100%.”

Colbert additionally opened with a daring assertion: “Tonight, we’re all Jimmy Kimmel.”

The phrases shortly unfold on-line, turning his protection right into a rallying cry.

Followers praised him for not holding again, whereas others stayed silent.

Kimmel’s suspension got here simply days after conservative Kirk was shot and killed at a college occasion in Utah.

In his September 15 monologue, Kimmel linked the tragedy to politics, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang attempting to characterize this child who killed Charlie Kirk as something apart from one among them.”

The comment drew instantaneous backlash from Donald Trump supporters and caught the FCC’s consideration.

Chairman Brendan Carr hinted ABC’s license may very well be at risk if no motion was taken.

Quickly after, Nexstar Media Group introduced it could preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” “for the foreseeable future,” forcing ABC to behave.

Critics say it wasn’t simply concerning the joke, however about political energy.

Colbert identified that the FCC’s response “positive looks like marching orders.”

Many now argue ABC bowed to threats as a substitute of standing behind one among its largest stars.

Trump celebrated the suspension on Reality Social. “The rankings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Present is CANCELLED,” he wrote, earlier than mocking the comic as having “ZERO expertise.”

The put up was shortly shared by supporters, framing Kimmel’s removing as a victory.

Nevertheless, different comedians strongly disagreed.

Throughout the September 18 installment of “The Tonight Present,” Jimmy Fallon instructed his viewers, “To be sincere with you all, I do not know what is going on on; nobody does. However I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s an honest, humorous, and loving man. And I hope he comes again.”

David Letterman was even sharper, calling ABC’s transfer “ridiculous.”

He mentioned networks could not fireplace individuals simply because they feared political backlash or needed to “suck as much as an authoritarian felony administration within the Oval Workplace.”

The suspension hasn’t simply performed out on TV. On Thursday, Selection reported that exterior Disney headquarters in Burbank, protesters gathered with indicators that learn, “Kimmel stays, Trump should go” and “ABC, develop a backbone.”

Related protests additionally passed off in New York, exhibiting the struggle had gone nationwide.

One protester instructed native media that what occurred to Kimmel “wasn’t about one joke, it was about silencing a voice.”

The outrage has pushed the story past leisure and into politics, with critics warning that comedians could now really feel pressured to self-censor.

Colbert’s monologue additionally fueled momentum, along with his phrases being shared extensively throughout social media.