Culture 4 min read By Mason Emerson
Stephen Colbert Endorses Jimmy Kimmel for Emmy as Voting Closes
Stephen Colbert has publicly endorsed Jimmy Kimmel in the revamped outstanding variety series Emmy race, even though his own show competes in the same category. The video endorsement comes as Emmy voting draws to a close.
Stephen Colbert has thrown his support behind Jimmy Kimmel in the newly revamped outstanding variety series Emmy race, even though Colbert's own late-night show is competing in the same category. In a video posted on social media, a bearded Colbert appears sitting outdoors on a windswept coastline, urging Emmy voters to back his fellow late-night host.
«Look how cute he is!» Colbert says in the clip, making a lighthearted appeal on Kimmel's behalf. The endorsement arrives as Emmy voting draws to a close, adding a friendly twist to what has become a competitive awards season for late-night television.
The gesture continues a tradition of mutual support between the two hosts. Last year, Jimmy Kimmel threw his Emmy support behind Colbert after CBS axed The Late Show. The ABC host put up a billboard in Los Angeles declaring, «I'm voting for Stephen.» That public show of support clearly helped, as Colbert picked up his first Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series last September as host of the storied CBS franchise.
Now, with the awards landscape shifting, Colbert has returned the favor. The endorsement is notable because both hosts are competing in the same newly restructured category, making Colbert's public backing of a rival particularly striking in an industry often marked by fierce competition.
Colbert's video was filmed in New Zealand, where he has retreated after the end of The Late Show. The setting — a wintery shoreline — adds a cinematic quality to the appeal, with Colbert appearing to have embraced a more remote lifestyle since leaving the nightly talk show circuit.
The past year has been a rough time for talk show hosts, comparatively speaking, but one of the bright spots has been seeing them work together. That camaraderie has extended to this year's Emmys competition, with Colbert using his platform to boost Kimmel rather than himself.
The revamped outstanding variety series category represents a significant change for the Emmys, consolidating what were previously separate categories into a single race. This restructuring has intensified the competition among late-night hosts, making Colbert's endorsement of Kimmel all the more meaningful.
Kimmel has not yet publicly responded to Colbert's endorsement, but the gesture is likely to be well received by the ABC host, who has been a vocal supporter of his colleagues throughout his career. The friendly rivalry between the two hosts has been a recurring theme in recent awards seasons, with each publicly rooting for the other despite their professional competition.
As Emmy voters make their final decisions, Colbert's endorsement could sway undecided voters. His willingness to support a competitor in the same category underscores the mutual respect that has developed between the two hosts over years of late-night television.
The outcome of the race will be revealed when the Emmys are handed out later this year. Until then, Colbert's playful appeal on Kimmel's behalf stands as a reminder that even in the competitive world of awards season, camaraderie can sometimes take center stage.
