John Oliver is trying to keep some light in the midst of a tsunami of late-night programming.
The “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” host laughed when Page Six asked if he’s been a little more frugal since Stephen Colbert’s show was recently canceled and Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily suspended.
“Thank you for listening as gently as possible,” he teased while chatting with us on the red carpet at the Only Make Believe Gala in New York City on Monday night.
“So the beauty of living with an ax to your head…every day is a gift,” he added. “I act like everything is fine, and I act that way until the moment it’s not.”
It’s been a rough time for talk shows lately, with unexpected cancellations and cancellations making headlines recently.
Colbert announced in July of last year that “The Late Show” series, which has aired for more than 30 years, would end in 2026.
CBS claimed the decision was “purely financial.” However, many fans argued that Colbert’s sharp criticism of the current administration may have contributed to the show’s cancellation.
Meanwhile, “Jimmy Kimmel Live! The TV host was taken “indefinitely off the air” in September after discussing Charlie Kirk’s death during a monologue.
The right-wing political podcaster was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10th. He was 31 years old.
Massive protests followed, with many accusing ABC of giving in to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
However, ABC quickly reversed its decision, and Kimmel returned to the air a few days later.
President Trump took a break from national politics to criticize ABC for letting Kimmel back on the air, calling it a “real bunch of losers.” He also called on NBC to fire Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.
Oliver, 48, told Page Six that he was “horrified” by Kimmel’s debacle.
“I was really disgusted by what happened to him, but I’m very glad it ended the way it did,” she said, calling Kimmel “a very decent person.”
“Those few days were very, very difficult for him. I’m just glad it was only a few days.”
The comedian hosted Monday night’s Only Make Believe Gala and presented Anna Wintour with the James Hammerstein Award.
