LOS ANGELES (AP) — So, Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t fancy himself as a defender of democracy. In fact, he refused that title when a reporter brought it up.
Backstage at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, he shrugged off the heavy thoughts, stating, “I don’t really feel like I’m defending democracy.” Instead, he’s about taking jabs at President Donald Trump, keeping it fun and light-hearted.
“I’m just giving him a little poke, which he totally deserves. Plus, I love it—hopefully, others do too,” Kimmel shared while clutching his fourth Primetime Emmy Award for being the best game show host on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. He’s also in the running for another award on Sunday for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
While he may not see himself as a huge defender of the democratic process, he is definitely throwing his support behind Stephen Colbert. Their late-night rivalry took a turn when Colbert’s Late Show was canceled after he was critical of a settlement between the network and Trump.
Afterward, Kimmel didn’t hold back his frustration towards CBS over Colbert’s cancellation and declared his endorsement for his pal with a billboard in Los Angeles, proclaiming, “I’m voting for Stephen,” during their Emmy battle.
Despite being on vacation from Jimmy Kimmel Live! when Colbert’s show got the axe, he chimed in once he returned last week.
Kimmel critiqued CBS for suddenly claiming that The Late Show was losing $40 million a year just before they got approval to sell their parent company, which was the real motive behind the cancellation.
And as usual, the drama stirred up more Trump-related banter. The former president made a jab on Truth Social, pointing out that Kimmel has “even less talent than Colbert.” Kimmel responded with humor on his show, saying, “Oh, you delicate, chubby little teacup, did we hurt your feelings? You want us canceled because we joke about you? I thought you were against cancel culture.”
Interestingly, none of Kimmel’s various Emmy awards are for his 22 years of hosting a late-night show, although he’s had 27 nominations. In the past, he stepped in as both an Emmys host and winner for other projects he worked on. One notable moment was his 1999 daytime Emmy for Win Ben Stein’s Money during Comedy Central’s early days.
Reflecting on that edgy time, he thought, “We were up against giants like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, and honestly, we didn’t know if anyone was really watching us. I think we were the first Emmy winners from Comedy Central too!”
When asked how much longer he plans to continue with his show, Kimmel kept it a mystery: “I’m not quite ready to tackle that one, but it’s something that’s always on my mind. Each day is an adventure, and I guess that’s a good excuse to dodge the answer?”
