Stephen Colbert emerges from cancellation to urge Emmy voters to select Jimmy Kimmel over own show

Stephen Colbert, who hosted his final episode of "The Late Show" in May, continued his long-running bromance with Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday by encouraging Emmy voters to consider the ABC late-night host for best variety show.

Colbert’s since-canceled "Late Show" is nominated for Outstanding Variety Series at the 2026 Emmy Awards, along with "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," "The Daily Show" and "Saturday Night Live." A bearded Colbert filmed a brief video for social media while sitting in a chair atop a cliff overlooking a large body of water to suggest his liberal pal deserves the award instead of his own program.

"Oh, hi, Stephen Colbert here at the end of the world.

You know, there is 24 hours in Emmy voting, and if you’re anything like me, you haven’t even started yet.

So, let’s get going," Colbert said.

"First up we have, oh, Outstanding Variety Series … I think we can all agree that Jimmy Kimmel deserves an Emmy.

I don’t care if you’ve never even seen his show, you know he deserves an Emmy," Colbert continued while showing an image of Kimmel on his tablet.

"Besides, look how cute he is.

Anyway, please consider thinking that Jimmy deserves an Emmy.

I do.

I love you." A LOOK BACK AT STEPHEN COLBERT'S MOST PARTISAN MOMENTS AS 'THE LAST SHOW' HOST NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck called Colbert’s plea "beyond pathetic and embarrassing." "It's a perfect reminder of how this is such a club that only seeks to further their partisan, fun house mirrors world that's all-Trump hate, all the time.

These are two of the people most responsible for the decline in network comedy and why no one should take the profession seriously without sweeping changes," Houck told Fox News Digital .

Kimmel, who has publicly attacked CBS for pulling the plug on Colbert’s show, has followed a similar playbook as his buddy by mocking President Donald Trump on a nightly basis.

Kimmel and Colbert have widely praised each other, appeared on each other’s programs and the former even went dark during the final episode of CBS’ "Late Show." "I will be watching tomorrow night.