While Thursday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was preempted by a rerun of “Celebrity Family Feud,” continuing ABC’s indefinite suspension of the talk show, some of Kimmel’s late-night colleagues used their platform to sound off.
On “The Daily Show,” which airs on Paramount-owned Comedy Central and has rotating hosts, Jon Stewart suited up for emceeing duties outside his usual Monday slot. Desi Lydic had been hosting this week, but the comedian had something to say about the issues surrounding his friend Kimmel.
Stewart leaned heavy into irony from the start of the show, saying it is now the “all new, government-approved” version, and was introduced as the evening’s “patriotically obedient host.” Stewart frequently scolded the audience for laughing at his sarcastic pandering to the Trump administration. He said the show was being taped in the “crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City” and notes that “someone’s National Guard should invade this place, am I right?”
“I don’t know who this ‘Johnny Drimmel Live’ ABC character is, but the point is, our great administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech,” Stewart said. “Some naysayers may argue that this administration’s speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smoke screen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation, principleless and coldly antithetical to any experiment in a constitutional republic governance. Some people would say that. Not me, though, I think it’s great.”
Stewart and the correspondents then serenaded the president with an off-key tune filled with compliments and praises.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” briefly addressed the situation in his monologue Thursday night saying, “To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on — no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, funny and loving guy. And I hope he comes back.”
Fallon said he would continue his monologue “just like I normally would,” but the punchline of his jokes about Trump came with an announcer interrupting any possible slights with flattery.
Earlier in the day, the host had canceled a scheduled appearance at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival in New York City, where he was set to join a panel titled “Staying on Brand”; organizers did not respond to a request for comment about the cancellation of his appearance.
Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night,” also didn’t avoid the topic. He opened his segment “A Closer Look” on Thursday by cracking jokes about how anything negative he’s said about the president is an AI-generated deepfake. “I’ve always believed he was a visionary, an innovator, a great president and even better golfer,” he joked.
He proceeded to show clips from Trump’s recent trip to the U.K., poking fun at the president’s comments and protesters who rallied against his visit. But later in the segment, Meyers’ began to show clips of Trump touting his efforts to “stop all government censorship” and bring back free speech, before cutting to news clips about Kimmel’s suspension.
“Trump promised to end government censorship and bring back free speech, and he’s doing the opposite, and it has experts worried that we’re rapidly devolving into an oppressive autocracy in the style of Russia or Hungary, much faster than anyone could have predicted,” Meyers continued.
The host also commented on his personal relationship with Kimmel, saying it’s a “privilege and an honor” to be his friend, in the same way he feels privileged to host his own show. “I wake up every day, I count my blessings that I live in a country that at least purports to value freedom of speech, and we’re going to keep doing our show the way we’ve always done it, with enthusiasm and integrity,” he said.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” added David Remnick, the editor in chief of the New Yorker, to its lineup Thursday, which already included CNN journalist Jake Tapper. Colbert’s show generated its own headlines this summer when CBS announced the late-night talk show would be canceled after the season wraps in May 2026 — effectively ending the franchise after 33 years on the air. The decision, the company said, was due to financial reasons rather than a response to Colbert’s criticism of a deal between the Trump administration and Paramount, the parent company of CBS, the network that airs “The Late Show,” as many have speculated.
Colbert used his vocal talents Thursday to sing a tune about the situation, presenting a short song as a message from ABC and its parent company, Walt Disney. The song was to the tune of “Be Our Guest,” the “Beauty and The Beast” classic — except the repeating refrain is “shut your trap.”
Colbert sings as an animated clip of the candlestick character Lumière from the movie plays, but he’s donning a red MAGA hat here. “Shut your trap, we’re warning you to cut the crap. Our dear leader’s skin is thinner than a sheet of plastic wrap,” he sings.”Mum’s the word, have you heard, kissing a— is what’s preferred. Don’t insult our great dictator or he’ll hit you with this turd,” the song continues as a photo of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appears on screen.
“The new rule at ABC: Don’t make fun of Donny T,” he sings. “So don’t you make a scene or mention Jeff Epstein, or your show will be scrapped — shut your trap.”
Colbert also spoke about the suspension in a monologue, reading a social media post from Carr that said “While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
“You know what my community values are, buster?” Colbert asked. “Freedom of speech.”
Colbert discussed Kimmel’s situation with Tapper, who brought up the Department of Justice’s review of Disney’s deal to take a controlling stake in streaming company FuboTV, which brings up potential antitrust issues. Tapper questioned what Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, would do about Kimmel given that he has business before the Justice Department. “Is he going to poke the bear, Donald Trump, or is he going to ignore this great tradition we have in this country, of not acquiescing — of media, newspapers, comedians, television — not acquiescing to power?”
Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is also scheduled to appear in an episode of “The Late Show” airing Monday; Kelly last appeared on the show last year ahead of the November 2024 presidential election, discussing border security and gun reform.
Earlier on Thursday, while taking part in a panel conversation moderated by the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, late-night veteran David Letterman, who once helmed “The Late Show” on CBS, described this week’s turn of events as “misery.”
“In the world of somebody who’s an authoritarian, maybe a dictatorship, sooner or later, everyone is going to be touched,” Letterman said. He first addressed what transpired with Colbert and the cancellation of “The Late Show,” alluding to political pressure as the real culprit, before addressing the decision to yank Kimmel’s show.
“I just feel bad about this because we all see where this is going, correct?” he said. “It’s managed media. And it’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. And you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian — a criminal — administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
With three decades in the late-night circuit, Letterman never shied from mocking presidents: “Beating up on these people,” he said, “rightly or wrongly, accurately or perhaps inaccurately, in the name of comedy — not once were we squeezed by anyone from any government agency, let alone the dreaded FCC.”
ABC carried out the decision to take Kimmel off the air Wednesday after the comedian and host made comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death during his opening monologue on Monday night.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel has not yet commented publicly on the matter. But his show’s suspension quickly ignited fierce debate, with critics accusing ABC and its parent company, Disney, of capitulating to political pressure. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said Wednesday that his agency might take action against ABC because of Kimmel’s comments.
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said on the Benny Johnson podcast. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
President Trump lauded Kimmel’s suspension in a post he wrote on his Truth Social media site: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.” (The show has not been canceled, but remains on hold.)
It’s also worth noting Kimmel’s outspoken daytime counterparts were mum on the issue. “The View’s” panelists did not address the Kimmel situation during Thursday’s episode. (“Good Morning America,” which is produced by ABC News, did mention the news of the Kimmel hiatus without additional commentary.)
Meanwhile, Kimmel’s fictional late-night competitor, Deborah Vance, has an opinion on the ordeal — or rather, actor Jean Smart does. She may only play a late-night television host on TV, but the “Hacks” actress was quick to share her thoughts on the decision to pull Kimmel from the air: “What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech,” Smart shared in an Instagram post. “People seem to only want to protect free speech when its suits THEIR agenda.” (Kimmel made a cameo in the recent season of “Hacks.”)
She went on to write: “Thought I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”
Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert weigh in on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension
While Thursday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was preempted by a rerun of “Celebrity Family Feud,” continuing ABC’s indefinite suspension of the talk show, some of Kimmel’s late-night colleagues used their platform to sound off.
On “The Daily Show,” which airs on Paramount-owned Comedy Central and has rotating hosts, Jon Stewart suited up for emceeing duties outside his usual Monday slot. Desi Lydic had been hosting this week, but the comedian had something to say about the issues surrounding his friend Kimmel.
Stewart leaned heavy into irony from the start of the show, saying it is now the “all new, government-approved” version, and was introduced as the evening’s “patriotically obedient host.” Stewart frequently scolded the audience for laughing at his sarcastic pandering to the Trump administration. He said the show was being taped in the “crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City” and notes that “someone’s National Guard should invade this place, am I right?”
“I don’t know who this ‘Johnny Drimmel Live’ ABC character is, but the point is, our great administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech,” Stewart said. “Some naysayers may argue that this administration’s speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smoke screen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation, principleless and coldly antithetical to any experiment in a constitutional republic governance. Some people would say that. Not me, though, I think it’s great.”
Stewart and the correspondents then serenaded the president with an off-key tune filled with compliments and praises.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” briefly addressed the situation in his monologue Thursday night saying, “To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on — no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, funny and loving guy. And I hope he comes back.”
Fallon said he would continue his monologue “just like I normally would,” but the punchline of his jokes about Trump came with an announcer interrupting any possible slights with flattery.
Earlier in the day, the host had canceled a scheduled appearance at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival in New York City, where he was set to join a panel titled “Staying on Brand”; organizers did not respond to a request for comment about the cancellation of his appearance.
Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night,” also didn’t avoid the topic. He opened his segment “A Closer Look” on Thursday by cracking jokes about how anything negative he’s said about the president is an AI-generated deepfake. “I’ve always believed he was a visionary, an innovator, a great president and even better golfer,” he joked.
He proceeded to show clips from Trump’s recent trip to the U.K., poking fun at the president’s comments and protesters who rallied against his visit. But later in the segment, Meyers’ began to show clips of Trump touting his efforts to “stop all government censorship” and bring back free speech, before cutting to news clips about Kimmel’s suspension.
“Trump promised to end government censorship and bring back free speech, and he’s doing the opposite, and it has experts worried that we’re rapidly devolving into an oppressive autocracy in the style of Russia or Hungary, much faster than anyone could have predicted,” Meyers continued.
The host also commented on his personal relationship with Kimmel, saying it’s a “privilege and an honor” to be his friend, in the same way he feels privileged to host his own show. “I wake up every day, I count my blessings that I live in a country that at least purports to value freedom of speech, and we’re going to keep doing our show the way we’ve always done it, with enthusiasm and integrity,” he said.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” added David Remnick, the editor in chief of the New Yorker, to its lineup Thursday, which already included CNN journalist Jake Tapper. Colbert’s show generated its own headlines this summer when CBS announced the late-night talk show would be canceled after the season wraps in May 2026 — effectively ending the franchise after 33 years on the air. The decision, the company said, was due to financial reasons rather than a response to Colbert’s criticism of a deal between the Trump administration and Paramount, the parent company of CBS, the network that airs “The Late Show,” as many have speculated.
Colbert used his vocal talents Thursday to sing a tune about the situation, presenting a short song as a message from ABC and its parent company, Walt Disney. The song was to the tune of “Be Our Guest,” the “Beauty and The Beast” classic — except the repeating refrain is “shut your trap.”
Colbert sings as an animated clip of the candlestick character Lumière from the movie plays, but he’s donning a red MAGA hat here. “Shut your trap, we’re warning you to cut the crap. Our dear leader’s skin is thinner than a sheet of plastic wrap,” he sings.”Mum’s the word, have you heard, kissing a— is what’s preferred. Don’t insult our great dictator or he’ll hit you with this turd,” the song continues as a photo of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appears on screen.
“The new rule at ABC: Don’t make fun of Donny T,” he sings. “So don’t you make a scene or mention Jeff Epstein, or your show will be scrapped — shut your trap.”
Colbert also spoke about the suspension in a monologue, reading a social media post from Carr that said “While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
“You know what my community values are, buster?” Colbert asked. “Freedom of speech.”
Colbert discussed Kimmel’s situation with Tapper, who brought up the Department of Justice’s review of Disney’s deal to take a controlling stake in streaming company FuboTV, which brings up potential antitrust issues. Tapper questioned what Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, would do about Kimmel given that he has business before the Justice Department. “Is he going to poke the bear, Donald Trump, or is he going to ignore this great tradition we have in this country, of not acquiescing — of media, newspapers, comedians, television — not acquiescing to power?”
Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is also scheduled to appear in an episode of “The Late Show” airing Monday; Kelly last appeared on the show last year ahead of the November 2024 presidential election, discussing border security and gun reform.
Earlier on Thursday, while taking part in a panel conversation moderated by the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, late-night veteran David Letterman, who once helmed “The Late Show” on CBS, described this week’s turn of events as “misery.”
“In the world of somebody who’s an authoritarian, maybe a dictatorship, sooner or later, everyone is going to be touched,” Letterman said. He first addressed what transpired with Colbert and the cancellation of “The Late Show,” alluding to political pressure as the real culprit, before addressing the decision to yank Kimmel’s show.
“I just feel bad about this because we all see where this is going, correct?” he said. “It’s managed media. And it’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. And you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian — a criminal — administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
With three decades in the late-night circuit, Letterman never shied from mocking presidents: “Beating up on these people,” he said, “rightly or wrongly, accurately or perhaps inaccurately, in the name of comedy — not once were we squeezed by anyone from any government agency, let alone the dreaded FCC.”
ABC carried out the decision to take Kimmel off the air Wednesday after the comedian and host made comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death during his opening monologue on Monday night.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel has not yet commented publicly on the matter. But his show’s suspension quickly ignited fierce debate, with critics accusing ABC and its parent company, Disney, of capitulating to political pressure. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said Wednesday that his agency might take action against ABC because of Kimmel’s comments.
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said on the Benny Johnson podcast. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
President Trump lauded Kimmel’s suspension in a post he wrote on his Truth Social media site: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.” (The show has not been canceled, but remains on hold.)
It’s also worth noting Kimmel’s outspoken daytime counterparts were mum on the issue. “The View’s” panelists did not address the Kimmel situation during Thursday’s episode. (“Good Morning America,” which is produced by ABC News, did mention the news of the Kimmel hiatus without additional commentary.)
Meanwhile, Kimmel’s fictional late-night competitor, Deborah Vance, has an opinion on the ordeal — or rather, actor Jean Smart does. She may only play a late-night television host on TV, but the “Hacks” actress was quick to share her thoughts on the decision to pull Kimmel from the air: “What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech,” Smart shared in an Instagram post. “People seem to only want to protect free speech when its suits THEIR agenda.” (Kimmel made a cameo in the recent season of “Hacks.”)
She went on to write: “Thought I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”
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Seth Meyers has triggered Trump without saying a word
Trump addressed a new, “sick rumor” about “Late Night with Seth Meyers” that wasn’t a rumor at all. It was another screed against late-night TV.
As the GOP breaks the rules to placate their leader and the Dems play by rules that no longer exist, late-night television is one of the few public platforms left that’s bold enough to challenge President Trump’s policy on a daily basis.
From Jimmy Kimmel to “The Daily Show” to Stephen Colbert (whose contract won’t be renewed by the nervous folks at Paramount), calling out the dangerous actions of the bully in the White House has by default become a public service of late-night TV and its political satirists.
Early Wednesday morning, Trump attempted to spark a new battle against his joke-slinging foes when he took to his own social media site, Truth Social, to address a “sick rumor” that wasn’t a rumor at all.
“Fake News NBC extended the contract of one of the least talented Late Night television hosts out there, Seth Meyers,” Trump wrote. “He has no Ratings, Talent, or Intelligence, and the Personality of an insecure child. So, why would Fake News NBC extend this dope’s contract. I don’t know, but I’ll definitely be finding out!!!”
It will not take Sherlock Holmes, Stephen Miller or even a DOGE flunky to ferret out the truth because the contract was revealed back in May … of 2024. It was hardly a covert operation when NBC extended “Late Night With Seth Meyers” through 2028. “We’re so happy to continue this legacy franchise with Seth at the helm and watch him continue to elevate the success of ‘Late Night,’” announced NBCUniversal Entertainment late-night programming EVP Katie Hockmeyer in a statement.
Mystery solved.
Trump has appeared more triggered than usual over the past month or two, perhaps due to quantifiable rumors surrounding his relationship with the late convicted child sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein, slipping poll numbers or ongoing queries about his health. The internet can’t stop speculating about what appear to be bruises on the backs of his hands, slathered in orange concealer. Is he sick and getting IV transfusions? Or is he punching his computer screen each time California Gov. Gavin Newsom out-trolls him?
Meyers is a frequent critic of the current White House administration, and the president has had it out for the comedian ever since Meyers played news anchor on SNL’s “Weekend Update” and Trump played a successful businessman on “The Apprentice.” It was 2011 when Meyers, then head writer of the sketch show, hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising, since I just assumed he was running as a joke,” Meyers said. Seated in the audience was a seething Donald Trump.
“Late Night With Seth Meyers” recently celebrated its 10th year on air, outlasting “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” Though Trump reportedly had no direct hand in the cancellation of Colbert’s show, Paramount made the move to end the show after Trump sued its news magazine “60 Minutes” over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The network paid a $16 million settlement to the president. Paramount at the time also happened to be seeking federal approval for a multibillion-dollar sale to Hollywood studio Skydance, which was approved shortly after the settlement.
Last fall, Trump posted on Truth Social that NBC’s parent company, Comcast, should “pay a BIG price” for shows like Meyers’, which he called “political hits.”
“How bad is Seth Meyers on NBC, a ‘network’ run by a truly bad group of people — Remember, they also run MSDNC,” Trump wrote. “I got stuck watching Marble Mouth Meyers the other night, the first time in months, and every time I watch this moron I feel an obligation to say how dumb and untalented he is, merely a slot filler for the Scum that runs Comcast.”
Meyers has yet to comment on the recent attention paid to his show by the White House, but what’s the rush? The host has another four years, according to his contract. Trump also has until 2028, according to that other contract, the Constitution. It’s anyone’s guess which agreement will hold.
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Jon Stewart slashes hand on prop during ‘Daily Show’ bit
Jon Stewart slashed his hand on Monday during a bit after smashing a prop mug in frustration with government inefficiencies.
The veteran “Daily Show” host, who began leading the program again on Mondays early last year, set up a makeshift Department of Government Efficiency office on his iconic news desk this week to try to figure out where “the waste, fraud and abuse in our system really is.”
In a tweet promoting the episode, Stewart wrote that “it’s a bloody good episode…emphasis on bloody…I’m an idiot…”
The Emmy-winning comic spent much of his 21-minute monologue working up to his DOGE office bit. With his signature biting political commentary, Stewart told “Daily Show” viewers that he is “DOGE-curious” and that he wants it to work to “excise redundancies in the system” and find better ways “to deliver government assistance that Americans rely on.” That is, without haphazardly slashing the federal workforce or demonizing civil servants, who he said “are only carrying out Congress’ wishes.”
By the time he arrived at this conclusion, he decided to “noodle” with government spending himself. He whipped out his “wannabe accountant starter kit” that included a green visor and desk lamp, printing calculator and mug that said “World’s Most Dad” — a jab at the head of DOGE, Elon Musk, whom he described as “the Nick Cannon of white people.”
He critiqued the Donald Trump-established agency’s “straight amputation” of the federal workforce and noted that Musk’s “chainsaw for bureaucracy” wasn’t finding the real waste in the system. Admitting that he too wants the controversial program to work, he lamented that we’re experiencing “stark emotional whiplash” from looking for inefficiencies in the wrong places.
“So we’re looking to save taxpayers some money. How about we just take $3 billion in subsidies we give to oil and gas companies that already turn billions in profits? How long did that take [to figure out]?” Stewart said, waving his hands erratically and delivering his findings with his brand of strained urgency. “Oh, wait. How about we just close the carried interest loophole on hedge funds? That’s $1.3 billion a year. Oh, how about we stop the $2 trillion we give to defense contractors to build a fighter jet that blows when everybody knows the next war is going to be fought with drones and blockchain, whatever that is.
“Holy, s—! I can’t believe it! I just saved us billions of dollars in 11 seconds,” he said, adding, “This is where the real money is. The money our free market-ish system uses to prop up corporate profit at the expense of the taxpayer. “
Stewart then launched into a tirade about pharmaceutical companies getting tax breaks, research grants and patent extensions that he said are worth billions of dollars, only to make Americans have “the highest drug prices in the Western Hemisphere” and be “numb to it.” He took aim at the Biden administration too, for “touting cracks in that exploitation as victory.”
After he played clips of Biden once celebrating how Medicare negotiated the prices of 10 drugs that Stewart said “we already paid for with our subsidies,” the host smashed the “World’s Most Dad” mug onto the desk in frustration.
“I’ll be going to the hospital soon,” Stewart said upon realizing he was bleeding. He then hid his right hand behind his desk and continued his monologue for four more minutes while the shattered remains of the mug remained on the desk. A few moments later, he pulled his hand out to show that it was bloody and shabbily wrapped, declaring “it’s fine” with a laugh. He then continued with his talking points. (Representatives for “The Daily Show” did not immediately respond Tuesday to The Times’ request for comment.)
“We live in the Upside Down. And don’t blame the corporations. They are profit-seeking psychopaths that need the lowest wages and the cheapest raw materials to drive their highest profits. But why do we, the taxpayers, subsidize their psychopathy? That’s the waste, fraud and abuse in our system. That’s it. That’s what we should be going after,” he said.
Taking a bit of the edge out of his delivery, Stewart added: “Capitalism is, by definition, exploitative. That’s how it operates. That’s fine. But then government’s role should be to ease the negative effects on Americans of that exploitation, not subsidize that treachery with our money. We’re getting f—ed at a Diddy party and they’re making us buy the baby oil.”
“I want DOGE to work. I want better efficiency. I want to get rid of the alphabet agencies that don’t do enough. Make the Pentagon pass an audit. But we are DOGE-ing in the wrong place if we want to really change the system. … we are subsidizing the system that makes workers’ lives harder in the first place, all in the name of freedom and liberty. But the greatest restriction on freedom in this country isn’t DEI and pronoun pressure, it’s f—ing poverty and struggle. And the government’s role should be to end the corruption that enables that exploitation. That’s what the Democrats should be doing every f—ing day. Every day.”
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What to watch on election day: ‘West Wing,’ ‘Daily Show,’ more
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone looking for something to inspire them — or soothe them — as election day arrives.
This week, Screen Gab editor Matt Brennan recommends the always timely wisdom of historian Howard Zinn, whose perspective shapes the documentaries “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train” and “A People’s History of the United States.”
Also in issue No. 155, we suggest rewatching “The West Wing” and setting a reminder for “The Daily Show” election special. Plus, we talk baseball with the director of Netflix’s new docuseries “The Comeback.”
Screen Gab Live: ‘Before’
What: Free screening of Apple TV+’s ‘Before,’ followed by a Q&A with star Billy Crystal and showrunner Sarah Thorp. Free 3-hour parking with validation; free popcorn and refreshments provided
When: Monday, Nov. 4 | 7 p.m.
Where: The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
How: Be sure to RSVP today!
ICYMI
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Harvey Guillén, left, Kayvan Novak, Mark Proksch, showrunner Paul Simms and Matt Berry of “What We Do in the Shadows.”
(Victoria Will / For The Times)
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ is approaching the end, but ‘life goes on’ in the vampire comedy: Showrunner Paul Simms and cast members discuss their otherworldly comedy, now in its sixth and final season.
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PETA files new motion in Tonia Haddix case, citing ‘Chimp Crazy’ as evidence: PETA filed a new motion Wednesday asking the court to compel Haddix and her alleged accomplices to show why they should not be held in contempt of court, detailing evidence that aired in the HBO docuseries.
Martha Stewart is an ‘unreliable narrator’ but also ‘a visionary,’ documentary director says: R.J. Cutler, the director of Netflix’s ‘Martha,’ discussed his film about the lifestyle guru and businesswoman and how he isn’t bothered by her criticism of it.
Turn on
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
Former President Obama, left, talks with “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart during his original run in 2015.
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)
‘The Daily Show Presents a Live Election Night Special’ (Comedy Central, simulcast)
If you’ve been doomscrolling and viewing clips and political news nonstop like me (and if you’re not, congratulations on keeping your sanity), you’re probably wondering what you should watch on election night to keep track of the races. I tend to flip through the networks, but I always make a stop at “The Daily Show.” This year’s election-night episode, titled “Indecision 2024: Nothing We Can Do About It Now,” marks 24 years of the “Daily Show” special, which originated during Jon Stewart’s first run on Comedy Central’s satirical news program. And it feels like deja vu not just because Stewart is back as host, but because there is a high probability that we’ll have a repeat of 2000, where we won’t know the winner of the presidential race until after election day. (Remember those hanging chads?) At minimum, the show serves as an hour to deride the maps, magic walls and needles that will inevitably rule the night. And Stewart, who plans to stick around through 2025 in his once a week hosting gig, can continue to help us make sense of it all once we know who prevails. —Maira Garcia
READ MORE: Election news is heavy on video clips. Go deeper with these 10 documentaries, series and specials
James Brolin, left, and Martin Sheen in “The West Wing.”
(Marcia Reed / NBC Entertainment)
‘The West Wing’ (Max)
Folks are doing, and advising, all sorts of things to remain calm during this uniquely stressful presidential election. I’m sure yoga and burning sage offer some relief but I have chosen to rewatch “The West Wing.” Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, Aaron Sorkin’s workplace drama offers the soothing combination of nostalgia — gather round while I tell of a time when broadcast networks could win Emmys for best drama — and political aspiration. Was there ever a White House run by a mere half dozen quick-witted, friendship-bound aides with no ambition beyond serving their quantifiably brilliant economist president and the people? Of course not. Does it remain deeply pleasurable to watch an extraordinary group of writers, directors and actors attempt to convince us otherwise? Yes indeed. Also a tiny bit sad. “The West Wing” was followed by the darker (but undeniably entertaining) visions of “24,” “Scandal” and “Veep” and the more general rise of the antihero. “West Wing” was often pointed and certainly partisan — it was in many ways a centrist Democrat’s fever dream — but it was never politically mean-spirited. Which makes it even more of a revelation, 25 years later, than it was when it premiered. —Mary McNamara
Catch up
Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about
Howard Zinn in New York in 2006
(Dima Gavrysh / Associated Press)
In the documentaries “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train” (2004) and “A People’s History of the United States” (2015), both streaming on Kanopy, scholar Howard Zinn lays claim to the original meaning of radicalism: Going to the root of the problem.
Born in Brooklyn to working-class immigrant parents and raised in a series of cold water flats, Zinn — by turns shipyard organizer, Air Force veteran, civil rights activist, antiwar protester, university professor, public intellectual — did not so much escape poverty and injustice as spend a lifetime confronting their causes, ultimately fashioning a survey of the American experience written from the perspective of its “rabbits,” rather than its “hunters.” First published in 1980, “A People’s History” placed sit-ins and wildcat strikes at the center of our national narrative, and interpreted such direct action — even when unsuccessful — as evidence of opposition to capitalism, militarism and white supremacy that had too often been written out of the story. “I start from the supposition that the world is topsy-turvy, that things are all wrong,” Zinn, who died in 2010, once described the perspective that led him to write history from below: “That the wrong people are in power, and the wrong people are out of power.” As a result, his work awakened readers to the role played by class conflict, racial injustice, gender inequality and imperial might in a country whose history has traditionally been framed as a victory march.
Of course, at a brisk 78 and 90 minutes, respectively, “You Can’t Be Neutral” and “A People’s History” barely scratch the surface of the Jamestown settlement or the Ludlow Massacre. (Ken Burns, take note: The survey text practically cries out for the “Civil War” treatment.) The films focus instead on Zinn’s conceptual innovations, particularly his understanding that the government, the law, the police and other major institutions in American life are officially or unofficially owned by, and act in the service of, wealthy, powerful interests — who in turn treat the decisions of those institutions as “holy writ.” Moral outrage and grassroots resistance to those interests, Zinn posited, were the only means of genuine social change; to be silent in the face of the establishment was indeed to endorse it. “I don’t believe it’s possible to be neutral,” he said. “The world is already moving in certain directions, and to be neutral, to be passive, in a situation like that is to collaborate with whatever’s going on.” — Matt Brennan
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The World Champion Boston Red Sox of 2004, when the team won the World Series after an 86-year drought.
(Netflix)
When the Dodgers had the Yankees down 3-0 in the World Series earlier this week, the trailing team’s desperate fans and loyal supporters of their archrival Boston Red Sox could agree on at least one thing: “The Comeback” was the only historical precedent the men in pinstripes had for hope. Netflix, now streaming a new docuseries of the same name, could scarcely have planned it any better. Colin Barnicle’s three-part deep dive into Red Sox’s epic victory over the Yanks in the 2004 American League Championship Series, a prelude to their first World Series title in 86 years, is catnip to those, like me, who watched our team “reverse the curse” in real time — and a reminder, for everyone else, that baseball is a game of miracles. Barnicle stopped by Screen Gab recently to discuss his memories of ‘04, what he’s watching and more. —Matt Brennan
What have you watched recently that you’re recommending to everyone you know?
I just saw Jason Reitman’s film “Saturday Night,” which was great. I’m not a “Saturday Night Live” aficionado or anything but it had all the things I really enjoy — amazing characters with high stakes — and it really let you into that experience of trying to accomplish something you’re overzealous about and yet doubtful of the outcome. On the documentary side, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” (VOD) and “The Greatest Night in Pop” [Netflix] are two spectacularly executed pieces where you follow the characters through the story, rather than it being the other way around.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the film or TV show you return to again and again?
If “Raiders of the Lost Ark” [Prime Video, Paramount+] or “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” [VOD] are on, I’m watching. But at night, after my wife and I put the children to bed, we’re putting on “Seinfeld” [Netflix]. The whole idea of no good deed goes unpunished, trying to force an outcome, it never gets old and it’s never not funny.
What’s your most potent personal memory of the Sox’s championship run in 2004?
It’s the first time I’d ever taken a picture with my cellphone. A year prior, my father took my younger brother, Tim, and I to Yankee Stadium for Game 7 and the Red Sox lost. It was devastating. Tim was bawling his eyes out — I don’t know, maybe I was too — and my father leaned down and hugged my brother and said, “I can’t believe I did this to you.” He’d given him something that didn’t love him back: the Red Sox. A year later, we were there again. Same seats, same Game 7, and the Red Sox won and in the chaos of the moment, Tim and I snuck onto the field and Tim ran the bases. He was 11, could barely make it around, winded as all hell as he rounded third base to home and he shouted, “I can’t believe it” and I pulled out my cellphone and took a picture. It’s on the wall at my parents’ house right when you walk in the door.
Between “The Comeback” and “This Is a Robbery,” your two highest profile series to date have taken on Boston-centric subjects. What’s a Boston story you’d still like to tell, if you could do anything?
Boston is a city of neighborhoods. Each one has their own story. The old adage used to be that you either had a priest, a cop, a criminal or all three in your family and this in a place with the best higher education, best hospitals and an outsized punch in politics. There’s no shortage of good stories in Beantown. You can never limit it to just one. That’s the best part.
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