Jimmy Kimmel shared his perspective on the state of late-night in a new interview.
Kimmel is midway through his summer hiatus, during which several guest hosts have kept the ball rolling—including hitting Trump on everything from his “tiny hands” to his wife’s “terrifying” personality—but has remained vocal in his opposition to Trump and MAGA during the break.
As the president’s leading late-night nemesis now that Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is off the air, Kimmel told The Hollywood Reporter there’s one way Trump could have a positive effect on the state of late-night TV.
The host was asked, “What will it take to save the future of late-night television?” Kimmel replied, “A different president would be a good start.”
Kimmel also briefly reflected on his initially indefinite suspension from ABC, following comments he made during his monologue about MAGA’s reaction to the assassination of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk. ABC announced that it was pulling Kimmel from its airwaves after threats from Trump’s FCC. His show returned in just six days following boycotts of the network from fans and celebrities, but Kimmel said it was certainly the most memorable part of his last season.
“No question that what I will remember most is the reaction to our unscheduled vacation,” he said, “which went so far beyond what I ever could have expected. I’ll never forget the support from friends, strangers, and even those who generally make me throw up.”
Kimmel’s suspension even drew outcry from Trump conservatives, such as Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Tulsi Gabbard—all regular targets for Kimmel’s scathing monologues.
Kimmel also revealed during the interview what he would say to Trump if he were ever caught alone in an elevator with the 80-year-old president. The host quipped that he’d say, “Which button do we push for a Diet Coke?”
Kimmel’s next guest host for the week of August 10 will be Emmy-winner Anthony Anderson, followed by the highly anticipated hosting stint of Trump’s longest-running TV nemesis, Rosie O’Donnell.
