Jimmy Kimmel announced during his Wednesday monologue that his planned Thursday interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico will be streamed on YouTube instead of airing on ABC’s broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Kimmel attributed the decision to ongoing regulatory disputes between the network and the Federal Communications Commission.
Kimmel used his monologue to discuss the history of late-night hosts interviewing political candidates, noting that he has conducted such interviews for over 20 years without incident, including conversations with figures like Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump during the 2015 presidential race. He stated that the landscape has changed since Trump assumed the presidency, alleging that the FCC has threatened his show, the network, and ABC affiliates based on programming and guest-booking decisions.
The host referenced ABC’s contentious relationship with FCC Chair Brendan Carr, which intensified following events in September 2025 related to comments Kimmel made during his monologue. The dispute escalated when the FCC challenged ABC’s compliance with equal-time requirements for both Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the daytime program The View. In August, ABC filed suit against the FCC, characterizing the agency’s actions as a free speech violation by the Trump administration.
Kimmel stated that he was relocating the Talarico interview to YouTube out of consideration for ABC’s local affiliates, particularly stations in Texas. He indicated the full interview would be available on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube channel. This marks a similar situation to one that occurred in February, when Late Show host Stephen Colbert was prevented by CBS legal counsel from broadcasting an interview with Talarico, ultimately posting it to YouTube where it accumulated 9.5 million views.
Reports have circulated suggesting the long-running ABC program may conclude in 2027, though a source close to Kimmel denied the accuracy of such claims to industry publications.
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