Jimmy Kimmel Asked What Could Save Late Night TV and His Answer Was Remarkably Direct

Jimmy Kimmel did not need a lengthy explanation when asked what could help secure the future of late-night television.

The longtime Jimmy Kimmel Live! host offered a pointed political answer during a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, as traditional late-night television continues navigating shrinking audiences, changing viewing habits and uncertainty surrounding the future of some of its biggest programs.

Asked what it would take to save late night, Kimmel responded in just eight words: “A different president would be a good start.”

Kimmel Points Directly to Donald Trump

Kimmel’s response was a clear reference to President Donald Trump, with whom the comedian has repeatedly clashed.

Political satire has become a major part of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Trump has frequently criticized Kimmel and other late-night hosts in return.

The relationship between the president and late-night television became an even bigger subject after CBS announced in 2025 that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026.

CBS maintained that its decision was “purely financial” and unrelated to Colbert’s political commentary or the circumstances surrounding parent company Paramount.

Nevertheless, the timing prompted questions from politicians, entertainers and other industry figures about whether politics had played any role. CBS denied such a connection.

Stephen Colbert’s Exit Changed the Late Night Landscape

Colbert’s departure represented one of the most significant changes to American late-night television in years.

He had hosted The Late Show since 2015 after succeeding David Letterman and had established the program as one of the most watched shows in its category.

When CBS announced the cancellation, the network made another significant decision: Colbert would not be replaced. Instead, The Late Show itself would come to an end.

That followed other major departures from the traditional late-night landscape.

Conan O’Brien ended his TBS series Conan in 2021, while James Corden left The Late Late Show in 2023. CBS chose not to install another conventional host in Corden’s old format.

Late Night Is Facing a Financial Challenge

Politics is only one part of the discussion surrounding late night.

The economics of traditional television have changed dramatically as audiences increasingly watch entertainment through streaming platforms, YouTube, TikTok and other digital services rather than sitting down for a scheduled television broadcast.

Reuters reported in 2025 that advertising revenue for Colbert’s show had fallen approximately 40 percent since 2018.

According to advertising-tracking firm Guideline figures cited by Reuters, The Late Show generated about $70.2 million in advertising revenue in 2024, compared with $121.1 million in 2018.

Its traditional television audience had also fallen considerably from its earlier peak.

Those numbers illustrate why network executives are increasingly questioning whether the expensive late-night format can continue operating as it once did.

Kimmel Has Experienced His Own Political Controversy

Kimmel’s comments also come after his own program became caught up in a major controversy.

His relationship with Trump and the administration has frequently provided material for his monologues, and Kimmel has publicly raised concerns about political pressure and free expression.

That makes his latest answer consistent with his broader view of the challenges facing late-night comedians.

However, Kimmel’s political assessment is his opinion. The broader problems affecting late night also involve measurable economic and technological changes that began well before the current administration.

Late Night Audiences Are Changing

The fundamental challenge may be less about whether audiences still enjoy late-night comedy and more about how they consume it.

Millions of viewers now encounter monologues and celebrity interviews as individual online clips rather than watching an entire hour-long broadcast when it airs.

That creates an unusual situation for networks. A host can generate enormous attention online while the traditional television program becomes increasingly difficult to justify financially.

Late-night hosts have adapted by distributing their material across YouTube and social media, but digital revenue has not necessarily replaced the money lost from declining conventional television advertising.

Jimmy Kimmel Is Not Walking Away Yet

Despite his bleak assessment of the industry’s challenges, Kimmel remains an important figure in ABC’s television lineup.

Beyond Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he hosts the network’s revival of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, demonstrating that his relationship with ABC extends beyond late night.

The comedian’s latest remarks therefore do not amount to an announcement that he is preparing to leave.

Instead, they reflect his concern about where the format is heading.

Late-night television is unquestionably undergoing one of the biggest transformations in its history. Political tensions have become part of that conversation, but declining advertising revenue, fragmented audiences and competition from digital platforms remain equally significant challenges.

When Kimmel was asked for his solution, though, he chose not to talk about streaming strategies, advertising models or social media.

He went straight to politics.

Featured Image: By Pete Souza – https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2015/03/13/mean-tweets-president-obama-edition, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66651461