Jimmy Kimmel Deploys a Billboard in Hollywood to Support Stephen Colbert for His First Emmy Win

2 August 2025

Jimmy Kimmel says he's voting for 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' to win an Emmy. Credit: courtesy

Jimmy Kimmel stunned Hollywood this week by renting a billboard on the corner of La Cienega and Santa Monica boulevards in West Hollywood emblazoned with the simple message “I’m voting Stephen,” backing his longtime friend and fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert for the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series despite Kimmel’s own show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, being nominated in the same category.

Michael Borlan, a Paramount promo executive, said the billboard was “a calculated gesture of solidarity and sportsmanship that only two decades of shared monologues, monologue jabs, and mutual respect could deliver” though Kimmel’s office declined formal comment. The public affirmation comes just two weeks after CBS surprised fans by announcing it would cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert after ten seasons on air. CBS attributed the decision to financial restructuring of its late-night slate rather than content or audience performance, adding that the show had consistently earned high ratings and critical acclaim during its run.

Many observers saw another layer in the timing. The cancellation followed Colbert’s public criticism of Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, over a $16 million settlement with former President Donald Trump tied to an interview on 60 Minutes. Trump’s legal challenge to the show and the network fueled speculation of political retribution. While Trump denied involvement, calling Colbert “untalented” and accusing the show of generating financial losses, critics saw the exit order as suspiciously aligned with Colbert’s vocal stance on media independence.

The billboard has since become shorthand on Twitter and X for Kimmel’s alliance with Colbert. Memes sprang up featuring Colbert’s long record of 33 Emmy nominations with zero wins dated back to 2017 onward. Supporters quickly edited the image to insert phrases like “Colbert finally gets one” or “He’s due,” turning it into a minor viral trend across late-night fan circles.

As emblematic as Kimmel’s gesture was, it was hardly isolated. Within days of the cancellation announcement Colbert’s peers took to social media and television stages to voice solidarity. Jon Stewart made a surprise appearance on The Late Show in a Coldplay-inspired spoof segment that declared his loyalty to Colbert and condemned what he characterized as “institutional fear” seeping into media spaces. Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon also released public messages praising Colbert’s integrity and lamenting the loss of a comedic leader in late night

Kimmel’s billboard was shot against the backdrop of industry votes opening for the Television Academy’s Emmy ballot through August 27. Insiders said the bold move may influence undecided Academy members and staff voters who respect collegial gestures between strong contenders. As one late-night producer confessed off the record, “In a category with Kimmel, Meyers, Stewart, and Colbert, this felt like someone stepping off their podium to hype another’s winning moment,” noting that the optics carry weight even in private voting sessions.

Though Kimmel and his show remain part of the Emmy bakeoff, his message struck a tone of creative altruism. Sources close to the decision say Kimmel knew his own show’s chances, but felt the moment called for advocacy not self-promotion. And for Colbert the billboard may feel like validation from the fraternity he helped lead and inspire over decades.

Some critics described the billboard move as theatrical, questioning how much sway a single ad might have over mostly-insider voting processes. Others saw it as old-school late-night wit taking a public stand through public words rather than media keys. In an era of celebrity branding-tour bus promotions, the image of a giant West Hollywood sign declaring “I’m voting Stephen” feels refreshingly human and on-brand for Kimmel 

Whatever the outcome at the Emmy ceremony, Kimmel’s gesture has already become a defining moment in late-night relations in 2025. It’s a rare instance where a show’s cancellation becomes a catalyst for collective loyalty rather than rivalry. With Colbert’s final episodes scheduled through spring 2026, the billboard sent a signal that among competitors, friendship still counts.

As fans await Emmy results, the underlying message is as resonant as the tagline: in a field where everyone wants to win, sometimes the best moment is knowing someone else deserves it more.