Colbert and Kimmel respond to Trump wanting to make their shows illegal

Both late night show hosts made the same Jon Stewart joke.
 By 
Sam Haysom
 on 
A side-by-side image shows two men in suits standing on a talk show stage. The man on the left is wearing a cheap disguise.
Credit: YouTube/The Late Show/Jimmy Kimmel Live/Mashable composite

Donald Trump has a long list of enemies, and you'd better believe he hasn't forgotten about one of his oldest foes: all the late night show hosts who regularly draw attention to his nonsense.

In a recent Rolling Stone piece about what might happen if Trump wins the upcoming election, it was reported that the former president is looking for ways to go after the likes of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, for all the mean jokes they've been making about him.

"During his 2024 campaign, according to a source with direct knowledge, Trump has raised this topic again, venting about the need to punish late-night comedians for giving 'illegal' campaign contributions to the Democratic Party — in the form of jokes and on-air satire," reads the report.


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Unsurprisingly, Colbert and Kimmel — who along with Saturday Night Live are named directly in the article — had something to say about it.

"Finally, I made an enemies list! Obviously there's no guarantee I'll be arrested, but it's an honour just to be nominated. No doubt it'll all be decided this weekend in Los Angeles, when whoever wins the Emmy for best talk show will be sent to a camp," Colbert said during his Monday night monologue. "So to my old colleague Jon Stewart, I just want you to know I voted for you. Of course if Jon wins he's only incarcerated on Mondays."

Kimmel, meanwhile, made a very similar joke about the Daily Show host, who only presents on Monday nights.

"I'm glad it's funny to you! He wants to lock up the late night hosts?" said an outraged Kimmel as his audience laughed at the news on Monday. "How would this work for Jon Stewart, would he only go to jail on Mondays? There's a lot to figure out."

In the meantime it's debate night on Tuesday, so we can't image the jokes are going to be stopping anytime soon.

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Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the General Assignment Editor, UK, for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.

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