An Unlikely Alliance: Inside Jimmy Kimmel’s Bold Emmy Campaign for His Rival Stephen Colbert and the Silent Protest Shaking Hollywood

In Hollywood, the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Cienega is more than just an intersection; it’s a battlefield. This is where giant billboards, known as “For Your Consideration” ads, scream for the attention of Emmy voters, each one a glossy, expensive plea for a golden statuette.

But this year, a different kind of message has appeared against the Los Angeles skyline, one so unusual it has stopped industry veterans in their tracks. It’s a simple, unadorned sign with a black background, white text, and a familiar face. It features Jimmy Kimmel, but the message isn’t about him. It reads: “I’m voting for Stephen.”

In a move of unprecedented industry solidarity, Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and a nominee himself, has dedicated his campaign to his direct competitor: Stephen Colbert. This isn’t just a friendly tip of the hat between colleagues; it’s a powerful, multifaceted statement—a gesture of profound respect, a lament for a fallen giant, and a quiet, dignified protest against the corporate machinations that led to the shocking cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” In a town where everyone is taught to fight for themselves, Kimmel is fighting for his rival, and in doing so, he’s telling a much bigger story about the precarious state of late-night television.

To understand the weight of Kimmel’s billboard, you have to understand the blow that was dealt to the industry just last month. CBS, the longtime home of “The Late Show,” announced it was canceling the program. The decision came on the heels of the massive merger between its parent company, Paramount Global, and Skydance Media. The official line from the newly formed entity was a familiar, sterile one: “cost-cutting measures.” But for critics, viewers, and industry insiders, that explanation felt hollow. “The Late Show” wasn’t just a program; it was a cultural institution, a nightly touchstone for millions of Americans seeking to make sense of a chaotic world through the sharp, satirical lens of its host.

The cancellation was viewed by many as a devastating casualty of corporate consolidation, where a beloved and critically important show was reduced to a line item on a balance sheet. The decision sparked a firestorm of controversy, with many speculating about deeper, more troubling motivations. In an era of intense political polarization, late-night hosts like Colbert have become some of the most consistent and incisive critics of political figures, particularly President Donald Trump.

Colbert’s monologues were not just comedy; they were nightly dissections of the day’s political absurdities. The cancellation, therefore, felt to some like a chilling symptom of an environment where challenging, independent voices are becoming increasingly endangered. Whether a direct political move or not, the outcome is the same: one of the nation’s most prominent critical voices has been silenced.

This context transforms Kimmel’s billboard from a kind gesture into a defiant one. It’s a public acknowledgment that the Emmy race for Outstanding Talk Series is no longer just about who had the best year; it’s about legacy. This is one of the final opportunities for the Television Academy to recognize a show that has been a cornerstone of the genre for nearly a decade. The statistics are staggering and speak to a history of being perpetually overlooked. Since its debut in 2015, “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” has amassed an incredible 33 Emmy nominations across various categories. Yet, it has never won a major Primetime Emmy award.

This puts the show in the uncomfortable company of another television masterpiece, AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” which famously went 0-for-53 over its brilliant six-season run. It’s a painful distinction that highlights a potential blind spot within the Academy, where critical acclaim and cultural impact don’t always translate into trophies. With the show’s cancellation, this year’s Emmy Awards on September 14th are not just a competition; they are a final, poignant chance to right what many see as a historical oversight. Kimmel’s public endorsement serves as a powerful reminder to every voting member of the Academy: this is your last chance to honor this show.

The strategic placement of the billboard underscores its intent. It’s not hidden away in a remote location; it’s planted at a high-traffic intersection that thousands of industry professionals—producers, directors, writers, and Academy members—drive past daily. It is situated just blocks from the Television Academy headquarters itself, ensuring its message is received by the very people who will decide the show’s fate. In the world of Emmy campaigning, where subtlety is often lost, Kimmel’s move is both direct and deeply resonant. He is using his own platform and resources to advocate for what he clearly believes is a greater good, elevating the conversation beyond personal gain.

This act of solidarity is also a commentary on the broader challenges facing the entire late-night television format. The landscape has changed dramatically since the days of Johnny Carson, or even early David Letterman. Today’s hosts are not just competing with each other; they are competing with an endless firehose of content on streaming services, YouTube, and TikTok. The ritual of tuning in at 11:35 p.m. is fading, replaced by a culture of consuming viral clips the next morning. Shows are now judged not just by their overnight ratings but by their digital footprint, their ability to create shareable moments that cut through the noise.

In this splintered media environment, the cancellation of a titan like “The Late Show” sends a chilling message to everyone in the genre. If a show with Colbert’s profile, critical acclaim, and cultural relevance isn’t safe, then who is? Kimmel’s billboard can be seen as a rallying cry for the format itself, an appeal to recognize the value of these nightly programs that, at their best, serve as a collective town square. They provide a space for laughter, for processing the day’s news, and for holding the powerful accountable.

The Emmy category for Outstanding Talk Series is one of only 15 awards decided by the full Television Academy membership, rather than a smaller peer group. This means public perception and high-profile endorsements can have a genuine impact. Alongside “The Late Show” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” is also nominated, making for a competitive field. Yet, Kimmel—who is also nominated for hosting “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and for his YouTube series—has chosen to step back from the race and shine his light on another.

As the 77th Emmy Awards approach, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, one story will undoubtedly dominate the conversation. It won’t be about the glitz of the red carpet or the suspense of the envelopes. It will be about the billboard at Santa Monica and La Cienega.