Stephen Colbert Urges Emmy Voters to Back Jimmy Kimmel: ‘Look How Cute He Is!’
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Stephen Colbert publicly urged Emmy voters to support Jimmy Kimmel for outstanding variety series, despite “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” competing against “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in the same category. In a humorous social-media video posted as voting neared its close, Colbert said Kimmel deserved an Emmy and showed viewers a photograph of him, calling attention to his appearance. The endorsement matters because it reflects a reciprocal show of support between two rival late-night hosts during a newly restructured awards race.
Kimmel had campaigned for Colbert in last year’s outstanding talk series contest after CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show”; Colbert subsequently won. This year’s merged variety-series category also includes “The Daily Show”, “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” and “Saturday Night Live”. “The Late Show” ended in May after 11 years and received nine Emmy nominations for its final season, while the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled for 14 September.
- Colbert endorsed rival Jimmy Kimmel before Emmy voting closed.
- The gesture repaid Kimmel’s public support last year.
- Five programmes compete in the newly merged variety category.
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Colbert and Kimmel are two long-running American late-night hosts, "The Late Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", who have a public friendship built on mock rivalry and reciprocal favours between their shows. Colbert stepped down as host after CBS announced last year that it was ending "The Late Show" after his 11-year run, though he has continued hosting through his final season, which wrapped in May.
The Emmy Awards are American television's main industry prizes, voted on by television professionals. This year the Television Academy merged the separate categories for talk shows and scripted variety shows into a single outstanding variety series award, meaning Colbert's show is now competing directly against Kimmel's, along with "The Daily Show," "Last Week Tonight" and "Saturday Night Live."
The awards themselves, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, are due to be handed out on 14 September.
More coverage
- Deadline — Stephen Colbert Endorses Jimmy Kimmel For Emmy
- Consequence — Stephen Colbert Resurfaces “At the End of the World” to Endorse Jimmy Kimmel for Emmy