Jimmy Kimmel was removed from the air indefinitely on Wednesday, with ABC facing accusations of yielding to pressure from the Trump administration. Fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart have now spoken out on the matter, extending their support to Kimmel while denouncing censorship.

The news of Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s suspension was met with delight by President Donald Trump and his supporters, while ABC’s choice is being harshly criticized by others. Kimmel, a long-time critic of Trump, has reportedly been suspended due to his remarks regarding Republicans and right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk’s assailant. “The MAGA crowd is frantically trying to portray this individual who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of their own, and doing everything they can to gain political leverage from it,” Kimmel remarked in a monologue on Monday.

Consequently, many have voiced worries about the implications for free speech from Kimmel’s removal from the broadcast.

As expected, the remaining late-night hosts in the U.S. have plenty to say regarding the issue.

Seth Meyers

Late Night host Seth Meyers commenced his monologue on Thursday by humorously trying to backtrack on his own strong criticisms of Trump.

“I just want to express before we dive in that I’ve always admired and respected Mr. Trump,” Meyers joked, eliciting laughter from the audience. “I’ve always thought he was a visionary, an innovator, a superb president, and an even greater golfer. And if you’ve ever heard me say anything negative about him, that’s merely AI at work.”

“Trump promised to eliminate government censorship and restore free speech, yet he’s doing the opposite.” – Seth Meyers

Meyers then showcased a montage of Trump asserting that he would “restore free speech” in America, claiming that he “halted all government censorship.” This was immediately followed by a second montage of news anchors reporting that Jimmy Kimmel Live! had been suspended following pressure from Brendan Carr, Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair.

“Trump promised to end government censorship and bring back free speech, and he’s doing the opposite,” said Meyers. “And it has experts anxious that we’re quickly slipping into an oppressive autocracy like Russia or Hungary at a pace no one could have anticipated…

“Let me just say, it is a privilege and an honor to have Jimmy Kimmel as my friend, just as it is a privilege and honor to do this show every night,” Meyers continued. “I wake up every day thanking my lucky stars that I reside in a nation that at least claims to value freedom of speech. And we’re going to maintain our show’s format the way we have always done, with enthusiasm and integrity…

“This represents a significant moment in our democracy, and we must all advocate for the principles of free expression. There’s a reason why free speech is in the very first Amendment. It ranks above all others.”

Jimmy Fallon

“Well folks, the headline is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC due to pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone asking, ‘WTF?'” Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon remarked on Thursday.

Fallon adopted a somewhat lighter tone about the situation than Meyers, voicing his support for his fellow late-nighter while also joking about how frequently they are confused for one another.

“This morning, I was flooded with 100 text messages from my dad saying, ‘I’m sorry they canceled your show,'” Fallon joked. “To be honest, I have no clue what’s going on, and nobody does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a good, funny, and caring guy, and I hope he returns.”

Fallon later remarked on concerns that Kimmel’s abrupt suspension might affect how he hosted the Tonight Show.

“A lot of people are concerned that we won’t be able to freely express ourselves, or that we’ll face censorship,” said Fallon. “But I’m going to cover the president’s trip to the UK just like I usually do.”

“A lot of people are concerned that we won’t be able to express ourselves, or that we’ll face censorship.” – Jimmy Fallon

Fallon then went on to discuss Trump’s visit to the UK, with every potentially critical statement about the president clearly edited to sound more flattering.

“Well, folks, President Trump just concluded his three-day visit to the UK, and he ‘looked extraordinarily handsome.’ As always, his tie was ‘perfectly the right length.’ And his face appeared ‘like a shade that exists in nature,'” Fallon remarked.

“In conclusion, President Trump is making America great again by enhancing our national reputation, revitalizing our economy, and rebuilding our military. I hereby nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. And you can hold me to that! See? We can still voice our opinions.”

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert understands better than most what Kimmel might be experiencing, as CBS terminated