Jimmy Fallon Breaks the Silence on Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension While Hitting Hard at Trump’s Late-Night Appearance: “What’s Going On?”.NH

Jimmy Fallon is rooting for his fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

The Tonight Show host light-heartedly addressed ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live indefinitely this week after his comments on air about the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.

“Well guys, the big story is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking WTF? What’s going on?” Fallon began during Thursday night’s episode. “This morning I woke up to 100 text messages from my dad saying, ‘I’m sorry they canceled your show.’ And I go, ‘That’s not me!’ That’s Jimmy Kimmel!'”Jimmy Fallon.

Taking a more solemn tone, Fallon added, “To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on, and no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny, and loving guy. And I hope he comes back.”

The Emmy winner also made sure to address audiences’ fears that other late-night hosts “won’t keep saying what we want to say, or that we’ll be censored.”

“I’m going to cover the president’s trip to the U.K. just like I normally would,” Fallon assured his audience before launching into a bit mocking Donald Trump‘s appearance and influence in which the host was frequently interrupted by a voiceover singing Trump’s praises.

When Fallon began talking about Trump’s face, a voiceover jumped in, saying it looked “like a color that exists in nature.” When the host went to name-drop Jeffrey Epstein, the voiceover replaced “Epstein” with “Goldblum,” referring to the actor Jeff Goldblum.

Jimmy Fallon.

“Anyway, to sum it up, President Trump is —” Fallon started to finish before the voiceover cut him off with, “making America great again by restoring our national reputation, reinvigorating our economy, and rebuilding our military. I hereby nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Trump has been vocal about his approval of ABC’s decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live. The former Apprentice star took to his social media platform Truth Social to gloat about one of his biggest critics being pulled off the air, writing, “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.” 

“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible,” he added, two months after CBS announced that it was ending The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Trump went on to note that only two late-night hosts remain: Fallon and Late Night‘s Seth Meyers, neither of whom he wants to see on the air. “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC,” he wrote. “Their ratings are also horrible. Do it, NBC!!!

Fallon’s sarcastic Trump bit was similar to that of Jon Stewart while he hosted Thursday’s episode of The Daily Show, although the former lacked Stewart’s notorious bite. Calling himself “patriotically obedient,” Stewart laughed nervously and refused to say anything that might offend President Trump, whom he called “father.” He also saluted Trump for impressing the English during his official visit to the U.K. this week, saying he displayed a “charm, intelligence, and an undeniable sexual charisma that filled their air like a pheromone-packed London fog.”

The hosts are among several notable figures — including David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, political commentator Keith Olbermann, and Lost co-creatorDamon Lindelof — who have spoken out about ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel amid threats from local TV conglomerate Nexstar Media Group to have its ABC affiliates preempt Kimmel’s show due to his remarks about Kirk’s death.

Kirk, 31, an ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University during a debate about gun violence. In the wake of Kirk’s death, the far right has called for “civil war.” Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, vowed vengeance, while former DOGE employee Elon Musk echoed similar sentiments and called “the left” the “party of murder.” A suspect in the shooting, Tyler Robinson, is in custody.
Jimmy Kimmel.

During Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host said of Kirk’s alleged killer, “We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”

Swiftly after, FCC chair Brendan Carr, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, condemned Kimmel’s comments, scolded Disney, and called for ABC affiliates to take action against the network.

The public has been quick to react to Kimmel’s surprising suspension, with protestors gathering outside his studio Wednesday and Thursday to call out ABC.

“Jimmy Kimmel did nothing but point out some of the hypocrisies of these fascists, and for this, he is being canceled and he is being threatened,” one protester said, adding that Kimmel’s critics intended to “go after anybody that is opposing them.”