Musician Bruce Springsteen canceled his scheduled Tuesday night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! during the show’s annual week-long taping in Brooklyn, show representatives confirmed on September 28, 2026. Comedian Amy Schumer joined the program’s lineup as an interview guest following the cancellation, appearing alongside radio host Howard Stern for the September 29 broadcast from the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House.
Springsteen was originally scheduled to join Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello for an interview and a musical performance. While Springsteen’s exit created a gap in the episode, representatives and festival organizers confirmed that Morello remained on the schedule to deliver a solo musical performance.
Lineup Adjustments and Replacement Guests
The schedule shift required quick adjustments from the production team. Comedian Amy Schumer stepped in to fill the interview slot, marking her first visit with host Jimmy Kimmel since 2022 and her eighth overall appearance on the show. Radio icon Howard Stern was also featured on the Tuesday night lineup.
Tom Morello remained slated to perform solo, carrying forward promotional efforts tied to upcoming collaborative projects. Springsteen and Morello had been booked on the late-night program primarily to promote the Power to the People Music Festival.
Connection to the Power to the People Music Festival
The late-night television appearances were arranged in connection with the Power to the People Music Festival, which Tom Morello curated at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Billed as a non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action, the festival highlighted collective civic engagement ahead of the midterm elections.
At the time of the announcement, Springsteen remained listed as a special guest for the October festival lineup, which also featured major acts such as the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, and Public Enemy.
Broadcasting Schedule in Brooklyn
Jimmy Kimmel’s week-long residency at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House featured a roster of high-profile guests:
- Monday: Pete Davidson, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and musical guest TV on the Radio.
- Tuesday: Howard Stern, Amy Schumer, and a solo musical performance by Tom Morello (following Bruce Springsteen’s cancellation).
- Wednesday: Billy Crystal, Mahershala Ali, and musical guest De La Soul.
- Thursday: John Oliver, Seth Meyers, and comedian Robby Hoffman.
- Friday: Paul McCartney, Senator Bernie Sanders, and musical guest Goose.
While show representatives and independent sources confirmed the cancellation due to scheduling adjustments, no specific health or personal reasons were cited regarding Springsteen’s decision to drop out of the Brooklyn broadcast. Fans and organizers looked ahead to his anticipated appearance at the Maryland festival event.
