Stephen Colbert, unsurprisingly, delivered a passionate defense in support of Jimmy Kimmel during Thursday night’s episode of Late Show. According to CNBC, which attended the taping, Colbert called Kimmel’s suspension “blatant censorship” and criticized it as the work of an “autocrat,” referring specifically to Donald Trump.
“With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch,” Colbert told his audience. He also dedicated the evening’s episode to Kimmel and his staff, saying: “Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100%,” Colbert added.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled indefinitely earlier this week after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC over Kimmel’s comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s death. Meanwhile, Colbert will lose his own late-night show next May. CBS described Colbert’s cancelation as a “purely financial decision,” though critics have speculated the show may have been sacrificed to help complete Paramount’s merger with Skydance.