Stephen Colbert is asking Emmy voters to choose Jimmy Kimmel for the top variety series award, even though his own show is also nominated.
With just 24 hours left for Emmy voting, the former Late Show host posted a video on social media asking people to support his late-night competitor. Colbert appeared with a beard, sitting outdoors near the ocean with a tablet on his lap.
“Kind of a weird voting system this year, but you know, I think we can all agree that Jimmy Kimmel deserves an Emmy. I don’t care if you’ve never even seen his show, you know he deserves an Emmy.”
Colbert then turned his tablet toward the camera to show a photo of Kimmel and added: “Besides, look how cute he is! Anyway, please consider thinking that Jimmy deserves an Emmy. I do. I love you.”
Colbert Returns the Favor From Last Year
This endorsement is not a one-way street. Colbert is paying back Kimmel for the same kind of support last year.
When CBS announced it would cancel The Late Show With Stephen Colbert after 11 years, Kimmel publicly backed his rival. He put up a billboard in West Hollywood that read “I’m voting for Stephen”. That move helped Colbert win the Outstanding Talk Series category.
Now Colbert is doing the same for Kimmel, even though both shows are competing against each other this year.
The Emmy Category Has Changed This Year
The Television Academy merged the talk series and scripted variety categories into one single Outstanding Variety Series category.
The five nominees for 2026 are:
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
- The Daily Show
- Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- Saturday Night Live
The voting system also works differently now. Emmy voters are asked a simple yes or no question about each nominee: “Does this nominee merit an Emmy?”. Any show that gets at least 90 percent “yes” votes wins the award. If no one reaches that mark, the nominee with the highest percentage takes the trophy.
Colbert called it “kind of a weird voting system” in his video.
Both Hosts Face Political Pressure
Colbert and Kimmel have both become frequent targets of former President Donald Trump.
Kimmel recently launched an unusual Emmy campaign video. Instead of showing funny moments or celebrity interviews from his show, he put together clips of Trump attacking him.
Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to fire Kimmel. In September 2025, Kimmel was suspended from the network after comments he made about the death of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. He was reinstated a week later.
Colbert’s show ended in May 2026 after CBS decided to cancel it. Some people believe the decision came from political pressure from Trump.
Related:
The Late Show’s Final Season Gets Nine Emmy Nods
Even though The Late Show is no longer on air, it is still eligible for this year’s Emmys. The show’s final season earned nine nominations, the most in Colbert’s 11-year run.
The nominations include Outstanding Variety Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
Colbert also appeared virtually last week to accept the Television Critics Association award for Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or Sketch. He also received the TCA Career Achievement Award, joining late-night legends Johnny Carson and David Letterman.
Kimmel Also Facing Tough Competition
Kimmel is competing against strong shows this year. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver has won the category multiple times. Saturday Night Live remains a major competitor, and The Daily Show still carries cultural influence.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on September 14, 2026.
Colbert’s endorsement comes at the last moment, with voting closing on August 26. His video is a direct appeal to voters who may not have made up their minds yet.
Also Read: Stephen Colbert’s Final ‘Late Show’ Brings Tears, Laughs and a Middle Finger to CBS
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