Howard Stern has some harsh words for ABC, which he shared with a surprised Jimmy Kimmel during his appearance on Kimmel’s late-night show on Wednesday.
ABC denied a report from earlier this month that Kimmel’s show was on the chopping block—but it wasn’t enough for Stern, who wanted to make sure ABC executives knew that Kimmel better stay put.
“I have heard many rumors about this show,” Stern said. “I don’t know if they’re true or false. Alright? But I want to say something to the ABC, if they are watching right now—there is no man more loyal to this company than this guy.”
He added to applause from Kimmel’s “Brooklyn Week” audience, “He’s a real human being. And I don’t mean to embarrass you, but he’s an emotional and a feeling man.”
“There is nobody more loyal than Jimmy Kimmel,” Stern added. “I’ve said to him, you know, he goes to these things. ABC has a corporate function where they try to attract advertisers. Every year he’d go to what they call the ‘Upfronts,’ right? And I said, ‘Jimmy, why would you go to that? They don’t pay you to do it.’ And you know what he said to me? He said, ‘I go because it’s ABC and they need me to do it.’ And you’ve gone to every charity event they ever asked you to attend.”
Stern’s account of Kimmel’s loyalty to the company came after ABC suspended the host indefinitely following threats from Trump’s FCC, caving to MAGA’s outrage over his comments about the faction’s reaction to the death of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel was reinstated six days later.
Stern then threatened the network directly, saying, “He has done everything for the company, and I hope that they keep that in mind. And oh my God, I don’t know about you,” he told the audience, “but if something goes wrong, oh, is ABC going to have hell to pay. Who’s with me?” he asked, drawing more applause from the host’s fans.
An insider claimed to Page Six in early September that Kimmel’s contract would not be renewed after its current 24th season. ABC told the Daily Beast, “This information is inaccurate—any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
The rumored decision would be strange for the network, given Kimmel’s consistent ratings wins. According to Variety, Kimmel is drawing far more viewers than any other late-night show.
The wins come even amid frequent threats and insults from Trump and a scathing public request from the first lady for ABC to “take a stand” against the host and fire him.
