Stephen Colbert Shares Footage of the Moment He Learned of Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension While Filming

Stephen Colbert is reflecting connected nan infinitesimal he learned of Jimmy Kimmel's suspension while filming his ain show successful beforehand of a workplace audience.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, nan 2 late-night hosts appeared connected each other's shows — Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show pinch Stephen Colbert — pursuing some nan indefinite hiatus of Kimmel's show connected ABC and nan news that Colbert's show would beryllium ending adjacent twelvemonth connected CBS.

As Colbert, 61, joined Jimmy Kimmel Live! during its latest taping successful Brooklyn, he told nan communicative of how he recovered retired Kimmel was being pulled from ABC connected Wednesday, Sept. 17 — erstwhile his executive shaper "stopped maine earlier I vanished nan show."

"I was conscionable finishing my show," Colbert said aft Kimmel, 57, revealed that he really texted Colbert astir that time. "When you were texting, I didn't get it from you. I was connected stage. I had conscionable vanished nan show. It was a Wednesday night, we had a beautiful bully show."

"I was gonna say, 'Hey, subordinate america tomorrow for Pete Barbutti and Adrienne Barbeau aliases whoever my impermanent was nan adjacent night. Victor Buono," he joked. "And my executive shaper comes complete and he goes, 'Hey, I conscionable sewage this matter from Carrie, I deliberation I'm correct to show it to you.' And that's really I recovered out, successful beforehand of nan audience, pinch my mic up."

Naturally, Colbert brought a clip of nan infinitesimal pinch him to stock pinch nan Jimmy Kimmel Live! audience, showing his shaper attack him and manus him a telephone aft nan news broke. "Is location thing we request to know, did we onshore connected nan moon," Colbert jokingly asked successful nan footage, earlier kicking his feet up connected his table and staring astatine nan telephone successful evident disbelief.

"OK, um, Jimmy Kimmel's show has been pulled indefinitely by ABC," Colbert said. "Wow, wow. Wait. Hold connected 1 second, I'll beryllium correct back. I want to find retired what this is about, I'll beryllium correct back."

As Colbert explained, nan Ed Sullivan Theater — nan longtime location of nan Late Show — has "no signal," truthful location "was nary rationale given" arsenic to why Jimmy Kimmel Live! had been "yanked." He besides joked that he "generally assumed" it was Kimmel's fault.

"So I went backstage and I was like, 'Oh, I can't really show why this happened truthful we'll talk astir it tomorrow. And past nan full adjacent nighttime was conscionable astir you," he told Kimmel, later elaborating connected what he said connected aerial nan pursuing day.

"I said, 'To cognize you good is to respect you deeply.' And I'm truthful happy that your show is backmost connected nan air," Colbert said. "Because we've known each different for 20 years but we've only really gotten to cognize each different good nan past fewer years. And I conscionable gotta drawback up connected getting to cognize you because nan much I get to cognize you, nan much I respect you arsenic a leader, I cognize you arsenic a friend and, here's thing I didn't know, is that your funny."

The Kimmel ordeal kicked disconnected connected Sept. 15, erstwhile nan comedian said astir the death of blimpish commentator Charlie Kirk on his show. Two days later, an ABC spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that nan show was pulled disconnected nan aerial indefinitely.

“We deed immoderate caller lows complete nan play pinch nan MAGA pack desperately trying to qualify this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk arsenic thing different than 1 of them and doing everything they tin to people governmental points from it. In betwixt nan finger-pointing, location was grieving," Kimmel said successful nan monologue.

“On Friday, nan White House flew nan flags astatine half staff, which sewage immoderate criticism, but connected a quality level, you tin spot really difficult nan president is taking this," Kimmel said, earlier sharing a clip of President Donald Trump telling reporters he was holding up "very good" aft Kirk's decease and shifting nan taxable to White House ballroom construction.

The cameras past trim backmost to Kimmel, who said, “Yes, he’s astatine nan 4th shape of grief, construction."

Directly aft Kirk's decease connected Sept. 10, however, Kimmel condemned Kirk's sidesplitting connected social media. "Instead of nan angry finger-pointing, tin we conscionable for 1 time work together that it is horrible and monstrous to sprout different human?" he wrote connected Instagram. "On behalf of my family, we nonstop emotion to nan Kirks and to each nan children, parents and innocents who autumn unfortunate to senseless weapon violence."

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr praised some Nexstar, nan largest section broadcast and integer media institution successful nan U.S., and Sinclair, which boasts nan nation's largest ABC connection group, for their determination to propulsion Kimmel's show successful his ain societal media posts.

Nexstar precocious announced plans to get rival broadcast institution Tegna successful a monolithic woody for much than $6 billion, which would further consolidate nan section tv scenery and put Nexstar successful 80% of America's TV-owning households — contempt existent rule permitting nary much than 39% — according to a property release. The acquisition requires last support from nan Trump-controlled and Carr-run FCC.

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ABC later announced that it would return Jimmy Kimmel Live! to nan air connected Sept. 22, pinch Kimmel making his late-night return nan pursuing day. Kimmel's first emotional monologue backmost featured him addressing some Trump and nan FCC, arsenic good arsenic sharing that he did not intend to "make light" of Kirk's murder.

The show resulted successful a ratings surge as Trump later threatened to "test ABC" complete Kimmel's return.

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Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights astatine 11:35 p.m. ET connected ABC.