Mark Levin Podcast – 9/19/25: The Real Reason Behind Late Night Show Cancellations

Host: Ben Ferguson (filling in for Mark Levin)
Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, guest host Ben Ferguson examines the controversy around the recent cancellations and suspensions of prominent late night shows, especially the departures of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. He argues the mainstream narrative—that these cancellations represent a dangerous new wave of censorship driven by the Trump administration—is false. Instead, he emphasizes financial realities and audience loss as the real reasons, rebuffing claims of government interference or “cancel culture.” The episode also explores the importance of protecting free speech—even unpopular speech—and warns against weaponizing government agencies like the FCC for political purposes.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Record Straight: Why Were Colbert and Kimmel Canceled?

• False Narrative:
  The media and left-wing commentators allege that Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel were forced off air due to pressure from Trump-era politics and censorship.
  • Ben Ferguson (00:52): “The media has decided to go all in... claiming that Donald Trump has gotten late night comedians fired... That is a lie.”
• Financial Factors:
  Both hosts, according to Ferguson and cited executives, were losing their networks tens of millions of dollars annually due to declining ratings and costly productions.
  • Ex-Paramount Chief, quoted by Ferguson (03:48, 04:50): “It was financially not viable. It had been that way for a long time. We had made a decision months prior to the announcement that we were not going to be going forward with that show.”
  • Ferguson (06:05): “Once it was so clear how much disdain he [Colbert] had for conservatives and it wasn’t fun anymore, you’re going to lose your show.”
• No White House Influence:
  Despite media insinuation, CBS executives insist there was no political or merger-related pressure from the government.
  • Ex-Paramount Chief (04:24): “I'm not going to tie any of that to regulatory approval…we really needed to be in a financially viable business.”

2. Jimmy Kimmel’s Fallout: Money and Missteps

• False Attribution to "Cancel Culture":
  Ferguson emphasizes that Kimmel remained on the air despite many controversial statements only until it became financially untenable.
  • Ferguson (09:41): “If this was really about cancel culture…Jimmy Kimmel would have been fired…when he said that people that went to a hospital…if it’s overcrowded, they hadn’t gotten the COVID vaccine, deserve to die and not get care. He did not get canceled when he said that.”
• Audience Alienation and Demographic Decline:
  Kimmel’s audience shrank dramatically in his target demo, causing local affiliates (Nextar, Sinclair) to drop the show, which led to suspension.
  • Ferguson (11:55): “He had lost his audience. In the core demographic… he was down to like 120-something thousand. He was over a million a decade ago.”
• Refusal to Show Accountability:
  Kimmel’s failure to retract a false monologue about the motives behind Charlie Kirk’s murder pushed affiliates and the network to act.
  • Ferguson (11:25): “Until Jimmy Kimmel agrees to retract his lie and tell the truth, we’re done. Now, I don’t know if Kimmel will ever apologize because he’s got enough money where he can just say, here’s the middle finger, I don’t care.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Reality of Business Decisions

• Ex-Paramount Chief (04:24, 05:31):
  “We had been looking at late night. It was financially not viable…months prior to the announcement that we were not going to be going forward with that show. I love Stephen, he does a great job. But we really needed to be in a financially viable business.”
• Ferguson, on false conspiracy theories (04:24):
  “This is all PCBS."

On Free Speech, Censorship, and the Role of Government

• Ferguson (15:19):
  “If we start using the FCC to go after our political opponents…they are going to come after us tenfold.”
• Charlie Kirk (46:51):
  “Free speech is a liberal value. It is not a left wing value. It is wrong...You should be allowed to say outrageous things...Free speech is a birthright...and you guys decided not to codify it, and now it’s poof, it’s basically gone.”

The State of Late Night TV

• Ferguson (28:04):
  “At the beginning of the year, Kimmel had 1.95 million total viewers…two weeks before his long overdue suspension…1.1 million viewers…His August household rating was a 0.35...In August that number [age 18–49 demo] dropped to 129,000.”
• Ferguson (29:00):
  “The late night is done with because they were so hateful for so long that half of America will never watch them.”

Major Segment Timestamps

• 00:43–16:00:
  Main thesis—debunking claims of censorship; financial realities behind show cancellations; clips of ex-Paramount chief.
• 16:00–20:00:
  Callers and Ferguson discuss moral/financial consequences, difference between free speech and consequence culture.
• 20:00–39:40:
  More on ratings decline, affiliate impact, and why networks reluctantly held onto Kimmel/Colbert.
• 41:15–49:57:
  Dangers of weaponizing the FCC; historical precedent for censorship; Kamala Harris's comments on shrinking free speech.
• 54:01–59:04:
  Listeners weigh in; deeper dive into ratings collapse and late-night irrelevance.
• 79:09–88:10:
  Related story: Violent anti-ICE protests in Chicago, bigger trend of aggressive left-wing activism.
• 90:53–94:50:
  Debate with caller on boundaries and consequences for "immoral" speech vs. constitutional protection.

Tone & Style

Ben Ferguson utilizes direct, unapologetically opinionated language throughout, matching Mark Levin’s signature "say-what-others-won’t" approach. He combines passionate defense of free speech with disdain for what he views as media dishonesty, correcting public misperceptions with cited data, executive quotes, and listener calls. Memorable moments come from blunt assessments of late-night hosts and pointed criticism of mainstream media and Democratic politicians.

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Financial Realities are the Real Story:
  The departures of Colbert and Kimmel were driven by money and ratings, not censorship or presidential interference.
• Media's "Dictator" Narrative Is Baseless:
  No evidence supports claims that Trump or the government forced these cancellations, despite mainstream assertions.
• Danger of Censorship is Real—for All:
  Conservatives should avoid weaponizing regulators like the FCC, since political tides shift and threaten everyone's rights.
• Free Speech is a Core Value:
  Protecting even distasteful or offensive speech is crucial, and the alternative is a slide toward UK-style criminalization of expression.
• Late Night TV Has Lost Its Influence:
  Networks clung to failing hosts for too long out of ideological affinity, hastening ratings collapse and financial losses.

Final Message:
Protect the Constitution and free speech—even when it’s uncomfortable. Don’t let the narrative of victimhood distract from basic business realities or justify dangerous government overreach into media and expression.