Overview

• On Aug. 18, Jimmy Kimmel told Variety that reports claiming The Late Show lost $40 million annually are “beyond nonsensical.”
• He said analysts overlooked hundreds of millions in affiliate fee revenue owed to CBS’s late-night lineup.
• Kimmel pointed to strong streaming and social media viewership to argue that late-night shows remain influential outside traditional metrics.
• He described Stephen Colbert as “very moral” and said he will vote for him to win the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series.
• The exchange has reignited scrutiny over CBS’s plan to end The Late Show in May 2026 and questions about political influence tied to a Trump settlement and the Skydance–Paramount merger.