Following his Emmy win for Outstanding Variety Series, Stephen Colbert appeared on **Jimmy Kimmel Live!** on Tuesday and addressed speculation about a possible return to late‑night television.
“Late night TV. I remember it well. Many fond memories of this,” Colbert remarked as he took the stage. When Kimmel asked if he ever contemplated a return, Colbert replied, “**Nope!**”
Colbert noted that he no longer has to “think about the news every day,” prompting Kimmel to observe that the Emmy winner appeared “like a different person,” “happier” and “healthier” compared to his appearance at the ceremony the previous night.
“It’s like I don’t drink a cup of poison every day?” Colbert quipped. “A big part of the job, as I recall, is to be lowered like carbon rods into a radioactive pool each day, then pulled out, placed in front of a camera, and radiated back at the audience at a nonlethal level.”
In interviews after the Emmy Awards with CNN correspondent **Elizabeth Wagmeister** and Variety co‑president/co‑editor‑in‑chief **Ramin Setoodeh**, Colbert asserted that free speech is “alive and well” and that late‑night remains a vital component of the television ecosystem, despite recent industry challenges.
“If you can’t speak because you face jail time, that’s a violation of free speech,” Colbert remarked. “I believe late‑night remains as entertaining and essential as ever, and I enjoy watching Jimmy, Jimmy, John, John, Seth, and the rest of the hosts. I hope the format continues for years to come because working alongside such talent is the greatest reward.”
The series **“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”** concluded in May following CBS’s decision to cancel the program.
On Monday night, **“The Late Show”** won its first Outstanding Variety Series award in its final season, competing against **“The Daily Show”** (Comedy Central), **“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”** (ABC), **“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”** (HBO Max) and **“Saturday Night Live”** (NBC).
