Stephen Colbert kicked off “The Late Show” on Monday by declaring that “our long, national late-nightmare is over” after ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel’s late night program will return to the air.
“COME ON!” Colbert shouted as his audience erupted in applause.
“Woo! Woo! Yes, sir, as well it should be,” he added.
“It’s wonderful news for my dear friend Jimmy and his amazing staff,” Colbert said, before joking that it means he can again brag about his recently won Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series, which he hadn’t done out of mocking faux respect for Kimmel.
“Once more, I am the only martyr in late night,” Colbert cracked, referring to his own show currently being on borrowed time for what has been interpreted to be political reasons.
Colbert then addressed his bosses at CBS: “Wait. Unless, CBS, you want to announce anything? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Still no? Right, because of the money thing, I forgot.”
Kimmel’s show will return to the air on Tuesday, just days after it was “indefinitely” suspended (amid government pressure) following MAGA anger over the host’s comments after the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
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Colbert’s show is set to end in May, a move CBS has claimed is “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and “nothing to do” with “other matters happening at Paramount,” such as the Trump administration’s approval the company was seeking in a now-finalized merger with Skydance Media.
Watch Colbert’s full monologue here:
