As Stephen Colbert rapidly approaches his final show, which CBS continues to say is a result of purely financial decisions, the CBS host noted on Monday that he’s been asked multiple times now to “make a case” for late night. Jimmy Kimmel really hated that.
To kick off the week, “The Late Show” reunited the “Strike Force Five” team, bringing together Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon to be interviewed by Colbert. Throughout the discussion, the men joked about Colbert’s cancelation, and reminisced about their time together. At one point, Colbert admitted that he’s gotten one question repeatedly.
“I’ve been asked this question more, like three times over the last 10 months in various interviews. They go, like, ‘Make a case for late night.’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And they go, like, ‘Make a case for it. Like, why should it continue to exist?’”
For Colbert, the answer was obvious: audiences enjoy watching and he enjoys hosting. So, he turned the question on his fellow late night hosts.
Kimmel was quick to offer an answer, arguing that the viewership numbers support Colbert’s answer, but the ABC host also got irritated at Colbert even being asked that in the first place.
“Why should you have to defend late night? I mean, why should that question even be asked?” he questioned. “You don’t hear, like, Ryan Seacrest doesn’t get asked that question about ‘The Wheel of Fortune,’ or whatever the hell he’s hosting!”
“I would actually like to hear Ryan Seacrest defend ‘Wheel of Fortune,’” John Oliver immediately retorted. “I would like someone in his next interview to say ‘Defend Wheel of Fortune’s right to exist,’ and I am going to be leaning forward waiting for what he says.”
You can watch the full Strike Force Five reunion in the video above.
