Jimmy Kimmel has a pretty simple answer for what could save late-night television: Get a different president.
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host is currently on his summer break, with a rotating cast of guest hosts filling in while he’s away. That hasn’t stopped Kimmel from taking shots at President Donald Trump and MAGA, though. His guest hosts have kept the jokes coming, too, targeting everything from Trump’s “tiny hands” to Melania Trump’s “terrifying” personality.
Now, with Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show off the air, Kimmel has emerged as Trump’s most prominent late-night nemesis. So when The Hollywood Reporter asked him what it would take to “save the future of late-night television,” Kimmel’s answer was remarkably brief.
“A different president would be a good start,” he said.
Kimmel also took a moment to look back at the strangest chapter of his most recent season: his six-day suspension from ABC.
The network pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! following Kimmel’s monologue about the MAGA reaction to the assassination of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk. The suspension came after pressure from the Trump administration and threats from Trump’s FCC. ABC ultimately reinstated the show just six days later, following a wave of backlash from fans and celebrities.
Asked what he’ll remember most about the past season, Kimmel didn’t hesitate.
“No question that what I will remember most is the reaction to our unscheduled vacation,” he said, “which went so far beyond what I ever could have expected. I’ll never forget the support from friends, strangers, and even those who generally make me throw up.”
The situation also produced some decidedly unexpected support for Kimmel. Trump conservatives including Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Tulsi Gabbard criticized the decision to suspend him, despite regularly finding themselves on the receiving end of Kimmel’s monologues.
And what if Kimmel somehow found himself alone in an elevator with Trump, who turns 80 this year?
He already has his response ready.
“Which button do we push for a Diet Coke?” Kimmel joked.
For now, Kimmel will remain on his summer break. Anthony Anderson is next up behind the desk for the week of August 10, followed by Rosie O’Donnell, one of Trump’s longest-running TV foes, in a guest-hosting stint that should give Kimmel plenty to talk about when he returns.