The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won outstanding talk series at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (Sept. 14), two months after CBS’s stunning announcement on July 17 that they were canceling the show. Stephen Colbert‘s win was greeted with a standing ovation at the Ovation Theater at L.A. Live.
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Actually, Colbert received a standing ovation even before he won, when he presented the first award of the night. “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?,” he joked. “’Cause I’ve got 200 very well-qualified candidates with me here tonight who’ll be available in June. I also brought my own resume with me tonight.”
When Colbert won the Emmy, later in the broadcast, he took the high road. “I want to thank CBS for giving us the privilege of being part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we’re no longer doing this show.” He concluded his remarks with a comment that suggested he is looking to his post-CBS future. “If the elevator tries to bring you down, go cray and punch a higher floor.”
This was Colbert’s 11th career Emmy, but it was his program’s first win in that top category, following eight consecutive losses. Colbert’s previous show, The Colbert Report, won back-to-back awards in a predecessor category, outstanding variety series, in 2013-14. As an executive producer of the show, Jon Stewart won his 25th Primetime Emmy. He is closing in on the all-time Emmy winner, producer Sheila Nevins, who has won 31 awards.
The other nominees in the category were Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Daily Show.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! lost a top program award for the 14th consecutive year, though this year wasn’t really a fair contest. Many voters rallied behind Colbert for reasons that went beyond simply admiring his show. Jimmy Kimmel’s program was nominated three times for outstanding variety series and now 11 times for outstanding variety talk series.
The Daily Show was last year’s winner in this category. In addition, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart won 11 times and The Daily Show With Trevor Noah won once.
Comedian Nate Bargatze hosted the show, which, by coincidence, aired on CBS, the network that received industry ire for axing Colbert. (The three legacy networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – and Fox air the show on a rotating basis.)
