Jimmy Kimmel Rages at CBS After Execs Ax Stephen Colbert: ‘F*ck You!’

(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Jimmy Kimmel took direct aim at CBS following its unexpected decision to cancel The Late Show in a move that comes just two days after host Stephen Colbert mocked his network’s parent company, Paramount, for settling what many viewed as a legally flimsy case with President Donald Trump.

“Love you Stephen,” Kimmel, whose show is on rival network ABC, posted to Instagram Stories. Then came the punch: “Fuck you and all your Sheldons CBS.”

(Screengrab via Instagram)

Though rivals on competing networks, the two hosts have cultivated a friendship that stands in stark contrast to the infamous feuding of their late-night predecessors with an off-screen camaraderie that has played out in joint appearances, shared political targets, and even a solidarity podcast launched during the 2023 writers’ strike.

Paramount’s $16 million Trump settlement arrived at a politically delicate moment for Paramount, which is currently pursuing a controversial merger with Skydance Media in a deal that requires approval from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission.

Officially, The Late Show will continue airing through May next year, but few are buying the idea that this was a routine programming change, given the timing.