Jimmy Kimmel Slams Late-Night Defense Questions After Stephen Colbert’s ‘Make a Case’ Remark

As Stephen Colbert’s final CBS show approaches, the network continues to cite financial reasons for his departure. On Monday, Colbert revealed that he has been repeatedly asked to “make a case” for late-night television during interviews.

To start the week, The Late Show reunited the “Strike Force Five” team—Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon—for an interview with Colbert. The group joked about his cancellation and reminisced about their time together. At one point, Colbert admitted to receiving the same question multiple times in the past 10 months.

“I’ve been asked this question more, like three times over the last 10 months in various interviews. They go, like, ‘Make a case for late night.’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And they go, like, ‘Make a case for it. Like, why should it continue to exist?’”

For Colbert, the answer was simple: audiences enjoy watching, and he enjoys hosting. He then turned the question toward his fellow late-night hosts.

Kimmel quickly responded, arguing that viewership data supports Colbert’s stance. However, he also expressed frustration over the question itself.

“Why should you have to defend late night? I mean, why should that question even be asked?” he said. “You don’t hear, like, Ryan Seacrest doesn’t get asked that question about The Wheel of Fortune, or whatever the hell he’s hosting!”

John Oliver immediately fired back, saying:

“I would actually like to hear Ryan Seacrest defend The Wheel of Fortune’s right to exist. I would like someone in his next interview to say ‘Defend Wheel of Fortune’s right to exist,’ and I am going to be leaning forward waiting for what he says.”

Watch the full Strike Force Five reunion in the video above.