Freedom of Speech

Red Baron watches Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show regularly and, on occasion, Jimmy Kimmel Live. He does not understand all the political jokes, but it helps his English.

Last Friday, Stephen started his monologue "Silenced Night" with the statement, “To an autocrat you cannot give an inch,” or as we say in German, out of bad experience, “Wehret den Anfängen (Nip it in the bud or literally Resist the beginnings).”

As an example, Stephen mentioned the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. On January 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” directing that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America in federal usage.

The new name is officially accepted and implemented in many U.S. federal regulations, mapping tools (for U.S. users), and some state‐level usages. It is far from universally acknowledged internationally and remains controversial in the U.S.

These days, the First Amendment is on everyone's lips: “Congress shall make no law --- abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ...”

Freedom of expression is indeed one of the highest goods in a democracy. On February 18, 2020, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr*, xed:
*Appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017

That's why the news hit like a bombshell when, on July 18, CBS officially announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, although emphasizing that the decision was “purely a financial one.”

@realDonaldTrump rejoiced:

The “Moron on NBC“ is Jimmy Fallon. But how did Trump know that Jimmy Kimmel was next?

Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended on September 17 due to controversial remarks the host had made on September 15 about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during his monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Kimmel had criticized Trump supporters, referring to them as the “MAGA gang,” and accused them of politicizing Kirk’s murder. They were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”

The fact is that several mergers are coming up before the Trump administration.

So senior executives were in a state of excitement, or as Stephen Colbert joked, "They were pissing themselves all day."

Brendan Carr turned from Paul to Saul, calling Kimmel’s remarks “truly sick,” warning ABC and its affiliates could face consequences if no action was taken.

Consequently, ABC affiliate Nexstar announced it would stop airing the show, citing Kimmel’s comments as “offensive and insensitive."

And again @realDonaldTrump rejoiced:

He indeed has an appetite for more, as seen in the "success" of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.

Subsequently, on September 18, 2025, Trump stated during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One:

“They’re giving me all this bad press, and they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”

“When you have a network and you have evening shows and ...

Stephen exploded, “Yes, they are. Since the beginning, shows have always talked about the current president, and it happens to be you.”

And Stephen continued, “Trump has personally sued ABC, CBS, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Des Moines Register, and his bathroom scale.”

Even on German television, Kimmel's suspension caused quite a stir.

Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, mourned, ”Stephen Colbert is gone, Jimmy Kimmel is gone,” condemning the cancellation of Kimmel’s show as “state speech control” and “That’s censorship. That’s not America.”

From left to right: Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver,
Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon

Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert presented the Fired Force Five. Who will be next?

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