Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 20, 2025 · Entertainment

Behind the Curtain: The Power Broker Shielding Fallon and Meyers

After celebrating the indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, President Donald Trump shifted his focus to fellow late-night comedians Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers

THE LATE-NIGHT TV SHOWDOWN: TRUMP GOES AFTER FALLON AND MEYERS, BUT WILL THEY BE NEXT?

In a shocking turn of events, President Donald Trump has set his sights on fellow late-night comedians Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them "two total losers" on NBC. This comes after the network's decision to indefinitely suspend Jimmy Kimmel's show, sparking outrage among Hollywood's elite.

But will Fallon and Meyers be next on the chopping block? Insiders claim that Lorne Michaels, the 80-year-old producer supremo behind Saturday Night Live, has a lot of influence at NBC. "Lorne is like a cash cow to NBC," says an insider. "He produces both Jimmy and Seth's shows, and as long as he's around, they won't touch them."

The POTUS was goading NBC execs to serve them up the same fate

But Trump isn't letting up. Taking to his TruthSocial account, the President wrote: "Two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!" He even went after Kimmel specifically, calling him "zero talent" and claiming that his show has worse ratings than even Stephen Colbert's.

The news of Kimmel's suspension sparked a firestorm in the entertainment industry, with stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Stiller, Henry Winkler, and Alison Brie leaping to his defense. Unions representing writers and actors accused ABC of caving to government pressure and attacking constitutionally protected free-speech rights.

But what really went down behind the scenes? Insiders claim that Kimmel's rant about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassin was the final straw for ABC. "Kimmel had gone nuclear," says an insider. "He was holding a crunch meeting with network executives, and it seemed like the writing was on the wall."

But they are believed to be safe ¿ for now ¿ thanks to ¿cash cow¿ Lorne Michaels, who NBC execs will do anything to keep happy (pictured Fallon)

It's no secret that Trump has been at war with late-night TV for years. He's taken aim at Fallon after the host tousled his hair in a 2016 interview, and last year he called Meyers a "dope" after NBC extended his contract through to 2028.

But despite being frequent critics of the President, Fallon and Meyers seem safe – for now. "If they try to cancel Jimmy and Seth's shows, it would be the death knell for NBC and their Peacock streaming service," says an insider. "Lorne would leave in a heartbeat and take his cash cow with him."

In fact, Kimmel is already planning his next move. Insiders claim that he's lined up a guest spot on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, who was canned earlier this summer.

A source said: 'Bosses have a lot of respect for Lorne and as long as he is around, they aren't going to ruffle any feathers by cancelling Jimmy and Seth's late-night shows¿ (Meyers pictured)

So what's the future hold for late-night TV? Will Trump's attacks on Fallon and Meyers pay off, or will they emerge unscathed like Kimmel? One thing's for sure: this is one drama-filled season we won't want to miss!

A TIMELINE OF THE LATE-NIGHT TV SHOWDOWN

  • September 10: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is shot in a fatal incident that sparks outrage across the country.
  • September 11: Jimmy Kimmel makes a series of comments about the shooting on his show, including calling the assassin "MAGA".
  • September 12: FCC Chair Brendan Carr urges broadcasters to stop airing Kimmel's show, hinting at an investigation into the comedian's comments.
  • September 13: Nexstar Media Group, which owns numerous local ABC affiliates, brands Kimmel's comments "offensive and insensitive".
  • September 14: Disney-owned ABC announces that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is being pre-empted indefinitely.
  • September 15: Trump takes to TruthSocial to celebrate the news of Kimmel's suspension, calling it a "great day for America".

ABC pulled the plug on Kimmel¿s eponymous chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, 48 hours after he ranted about the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk

A LOOK AT THE LATE-NIGHT TV HOSTS WHO'VE TAKEN ON TRUMP

Jimmy Kimmel: + Known for his biting monologues and frequent jabs at Trump. + Has been on ABC since 2003. + Recently hinted that he may not renew his contract, which is up in 2026.

Seth Meyers: + Host of Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC. + Frequently takes aim at Trump's policies and administration. + Last year, Trump called him a "dope" after NBC extended his contract through to 2028.

President Trump responded to the news of Kimmel's suspension on Truth Social, stating that Kimmel has 'zero talent'

Jimmy Fallon: + Host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC. + Has been criticized by Trump for his interview with the President in 2016. + Falls under Lorne Michaels' umbrella as executive producer.

But despite being two thorns in his side, our insider said culling their shows would be 'the death knell for NBC and their Peacock streaming service' (pictured Lorne Michaels)