An Open Door for a Late-Night Peer

Jimmy Kimmel, the 58-year-old face of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, recently shared that he invited former late-night competitor Stephen Colbert to serve as a guest host during his scheduled summer hiatus. In a recent interview, Kimmel noted that while the timing may have felt a bit early for his colleague, the offer remains permanent.

«Of course, I asked him, and I think it feels premature,» Kimmel stated. «But I told him, ‘Anytime you want to host, it doesn’t matter if it’s the summer, I’ll gladly step aside.’» Despite the warm gesture, 62-year-old Colbert reportedly declined the invitation.


The End of a Long Era

Colbert’s departure from The Late Show marked the conclusion of an 11-year tenure. His exit followed significant speculation regarding the show's cancellation, particularly in light of a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS and President Donald Trump. During his final broadcast, Colbert expressed deep gratitude to his supporters, reflecting on the 1,800 episodes the team produced together.

«We call it the ‘joy machine’ because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn’t hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears,» Colbert remarked during his farewell monologue.

Returning to Roots

Though he has stepped away from the CBS desk, Colbert did not remain off-screen for long. Shortly after his final broadcast, he made a surprise guest appearance on a public access program in Monroe, Michigan. It was a nostalgic return for the comedian, as he had previously filmed a segment for the same community media channel back in 2015.

During the appearance, he quipped about his transition away from network television: «Viewers outside the greater Monroe area are able to view Monroe Community Media thanks to something known as streaming, which I promised not to learn about while I was on CBS.»


Kimmel’s Summer Plans

While Colbert declined the guest spot, Kimmel remains lighthearted about his upcoming break from ABC's late-night lineup. Joking about the political climate, Kimmel quipped: «As a special treat for our commander-in-chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming. All I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.»