Stephen Colbert has taken to social media to advocate for his friend and fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, urging Emmy voters to recognise Kimmel’s contributions to television. Colbert, known for his engaging and humorous approach, made his feelings clear in a video posted on Instagram.
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In this video, Colbert, sporting a newly grown beard, sets a light-hearted tone by remarking, “Oh, hi. Stephen Colbert here at the end of the world.” He highlights the imminent deadline for Emmy voting, noting, “There’s 24 hours left in Emmy voting and if you’re anything like me, you haven’t even started yet.” With this playful declaration, Colbert prompts viewers to take action and consider Kimmel’s candidacy for an Emmy Award.
Colbert specifically points out the Outstanding Variety Series category, which includes not only Kimmel’s show, *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* but also nominees such as *The Daily Show*, *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,* and his own programme, *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert*. Despite the competitive nature of the category, Colbert passionately asserts, “Kind of a weird voting system this year, but I think we can all agree that Jimmy Kimmel deserves an Emmy.”
Colbert’s amusing plea takes a personal turn when he asserts, “I don’t care if you’ve never even seen his show,” while showing a portrait of Kimmel, who is 58 years old. He adds a touch of humour by complimenting Kimmel’s appearance, remarking, “Besides, look how cute he is!” The video concludes with a heartfelt message, encouraging viewers to think of Kimmel as deserving of accolades while declaring, “I do. I love you.”
In the lead-up to the Emmys, Kimmel has also been proactive in his campaigning. Earlier, on August 18th, he shared a “for your consideration” video on Instagram. This compilation showcased all the instances in which former President Donald Trump mocked him on social media, concluding with the caption, “Thank you, Mr President, for your consideration #FYC.”
This call to action from Colbert comes a few months after *The Late Show* was concluded, following an impressive run of 11 years. The cancellation was framed as a financial decision made by the network, Paramount, rather than a reflection of the show’s quality. Colbert expressed disappointment at the time, particularly in light of a $16 million settlement between Paramount and Trump.
The year has also been a challenging one for Kimmel, who has found himself the target of repeated attacks from Trump. In September, Kimmel was briefly taken off the air due to comments he made about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, leading to further scrutiny and calls for *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* to be cancelled based on Trump’s objections to Kimmel’s jokes about Melania Trump.
Throughout their careers, Kimmel and Colbert have demonstrated mutual support, frequently celebrating each other’s successes. Notably, Kimmel expressed his admiration for Colbert during the latter’s final episode in May, stating, “I think it is most important to congratulate Stephen and the team at *The Late Show* for all the great work he will continue to do in other venues.” Kimmel, showing solidarity, even chose to suspend his own show on the night of Colbert’s final appearance as a sign of respect.
Both comedians have carved out their own distinctive spaces in late-night television, yet their camaraderie has transcended competition. There is a deep sense of respect and friendship between them, as Kimmel remarked during his tribute to Colbert, “We never felt like we were competing against each other. I always loved being on Stephen’s show, I loved having him here on ours.”
As Kimmel’s show continues to broadcast on ABC at 11:35 p.m. ET, the stakes are high for this year’s Emmy Awards. The 78th Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air live on September 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, with fans and colleagues alike eager to see how the nominations will pan out for their favourite late-night hosts. Both Colbert and Kimmel’s endorsements reflect the strong affiliations and friendships that often characterise the late-night landscape, reminding audiences of the importance of camaraderie in a competitive industry.