Late Show Moments That Would Have Caused Cancellations & Censorship Today

MM-TV-10-Late-Show-Moments-That-Would-Have-Caused-Cancellations-Today_K6D9X7

With the suspensions of late night shows being in the news as of late, temporary or not, a number of other talk shows could come under fire for similar, or much bolder, outspoken moments. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking back at scandalous late show segments that would have likely triggered censorship or outright cancellation had they occurred amidst this uproarious climate.

73-Year-Old-Beef

“The Daily Show (1996-)

In 2021, during Trevor Noah’s tenure at “The Daily Show,” he broached the topic of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Before even beginning the segment, Noah acknowledged the weight of the subject matter. And his assessment was correct. Both sides immediately came down on him, urging him to take a firm stance, or at least not to downplay the severity of the events. Effectively, Noah was playing with loaded dynamite when he referred to the war as a “beef,” and tried to highlight how both countries are culpable. Rather than hearing his perspective, most only heard the perceived fallacies in his arguments. And so, we can only imagine this sort of conversation today could have resulted in his show being suspended for “misinformation.”

Far-Right Guest

“Real Time With Bill Maher” (2003-)

Bill Maher is no stranger to controversy, and neither is guest Milo Yiannopoulos. In 2017, Maher had the political provocateur on his show to grill him on a number of subjects. Instead, he ended up rationalizing and even affirming some of Milo’s beliefs. Meanwhile, a number of panelists clashed hard with the right wing commentator. This was another case of, “You just can’t win.” Maher received negative reactions from both sides of the political spectrum: for both platforming and finding common ground with someone the left deems alt-right, and for criticizing the man’s conservative viewpoints after. In fact, the term Maher used to describe Milo was, “emotionally needy Ann Coulter wannabe.”

Miss Diagnosis

“Chelsea” (2016-17)

During the pilot of a new segment, Chelsea Handler attempted to diagnose what she perceived to be wrong with Donald Trump. During the biting report, she poked fun at his weight, joked about a sexual relationship with Mike Pence, compared him to a monkey, referred to Putin as his alpha, and even came for his kids. This aired back in 2017, but based on Trump' s outrage over the 2025 “South Park” scene that portrayed him sleeping with Satan, it’s hard to imagine this would have gone over well for Chelsea today.

Gitmo

“The Daily Show” (1996-)

While running a 2008 segment about the trial of several 9/11 hijackers, Jon Stewart brought out a puppet to demonstrate the controversies surrounding Guantanamo Bay. Only this character, named Gitmo, was just Elmo with a beard designed to look like a prisoner of war. Stewart utilized Gitmo to comment on the terrible conditions at the detention camp, and highlight the Obama administration’s failed promise to shut it down. In order to make his point, he both waterboards Gitmo, and feeds him to a dog. However, Stewart also name-drops Big Bird. The use of children’s cartoons characters to illustrate the torture of accused terrorists could have easily spelled trouble for the host had this aired today.

The Walk-Off

“The Tonight Show” (1954-)

It’s ironic that we’re talking about censorship of media now, because back in 1960s America it was still very difficult to get away with the discussion of certain subject matters. “Tonight Show” host Jack Paar was aggravated that the network had censored one of his jokes in a prior broadcast. To stick it to them, he announced his departure and exited the stage at the top of the next taping. Ultimately, a deal was reached and he returned. However, it’s unlikely such an anti-censorship stunt would have been received with an olive branch today.

Samantha Bee vs Ivanka Trump

“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (2016-22)

Now, Samantha Bee is already off the air. But if “Full Frontal” was still on today, this segment would have likely resulted in more calamity than a simple apology from Bee. Although the host had always been incredibly critical of the Trump administration, her 2018 attack on Ivanka crossed a number of lines. Amidst chatter about Trump’s controversial immigration policies, Bee grew especially weary of Ivanka’s apathy. While the charged monologue was condemned by many, it was also admired by some. The reaction prompted Bee to apologize in a televised segment. Though, in this modern era of censorship, Bee’s tirade likely would have meant that she would no longer have a show to apologize on.

Epstein Files

“Late Night with Seth Meyers” (2014-)

After Kimmel’s suspension, Seth Meyers spoke out in defense of his fellow late show host. Known for his sharp political analysis in “Closer Look,” Meyers has long harped on Trump’s leadership and controversies. His dissection of the Epstein scandal, and Trump’s purported involvement, even drew ire from the president. On Truth Social, Trump called on NBC to cancel Meyers and Fallon, referring to them as “two total losers.” This only lit Meyers’ fuse, who fired back at these attacks on free speech. What makes this entry fascinating is that it is happening today. With live rounds being exchanged back and forth, the battle between politicians, billionaire media conglomerates, and late night talk show hosts only seems to be escalating.

Have you been keeping up with the updates on the Jimmy Kimmel suspension scandal? Comment below.