Jimmy Kimmel urged his audience to watch Stephen Colbert’s final CBS episode and then stop watching the network entirely [1].
The call for a boycott highlights the volatile intersection of late-night entertainment and political tension in the U.S. media landscape. By targeting a major broadcast network, Kimmel leveraged his platform to make a statement about the nature of Colbert's departure and the network's role.
During his opening monologue on Wednesday night, Kimmel addressed the upcoming conclusion of "The Late Show" [1]. He expressed his intent to view the final broadcast, which aired on Thursday, June 21, 2024 [2].
"I will be watching tomorrow night; I hope that those of you who watch our show will also tune in to CBS for the last time," Kimmel said [1].
Kimmel followed the invitation to watch the finale with a direct directive to abandon the network. He said to his viewers, "Don’t ever watch it again" [1]. Other reports of the monologue noted he explicitly told the audience to "never watch CBS again" [3].
This public appeal came as a reaction to the politically charged nature of Colbert's finale [4]. Kimmel used the moment to mock CBS, suggesting that viewers should withdraw their support from the network following the event [4].
The broadcast occurred on Kimmel's ABC-affiliated show, positioning the critique from a rival network's platform [1]. While Colbert's finale was a milestone for the host, Kimmel framed the event as a reason for viewers to sever ties with the broadcaster [3].
“"Never watch CBS again."”
This incident reflects a growing trend of late-night hosts using their monologues not just for comedy, but as tools for direct political and corporate activism. By calling for a boycott of a peer network, Kimmel is signaling a shift where personal or political grievances outweigh traditional industry camaraderie.
