Disney’s ABC said Wednesday it has pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely” following the late-night host’s comments Monday about the motivations of the man who authorities say fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
During his monologue Monday night, Kimmel criticized Republicans for how they responded to Kirk’s killing. “The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. Kimmel’s representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on ABC’s decision. Robinson is accused of fatally shooting Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk was a co-founder of the prominent conservative activist organization Turning Point USA and a high-profile ally of President Donald Trump. In the wake of the killing, some on the left had sought to label Robinson a member of the far right. Text messages from Robinson released Tuesday by authorities said he targeted Kirk because Robinson “had enough of his hatred.”
Trump lauded the news about Kimmel’s suspension, posting on Truth Social, in part: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” ABC’s move comes just hours after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr threatened to “take action” against Disney and ABC over Kimmel’s remarks. In an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Carr described Kimmel’s remarks as “the sickest conduct possible,” adding that the FCC could move to revoke ABC affiliate licenses as a punishment. FCC member Anna Gomez, a Biden appointee and the lone Democrat on the panel, sharply criticized Carr on X, saying, “This Administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression.”
Following Carr’s comments, Nexstar Media Group Inc. announced that the company’s ABC affiliates will pre-empt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for the foreseeable future, beginning with Wednesday night’s show. Nexstar has more than 200 stations in the United States and is waiting on FCC approval for a $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna. Carr thanked Nexstar on X “for doing the right thing.”
“Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest,” he wrote. “While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for the FCC referred NBC News to Carr’s tweet.
The American late-night television landscape is embattled amid sagging ratings and other pressures. Two months ago, CBS announced it was permanently ending “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” saying the move was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.” Many of Colbert’s fans suggested he was being punished for his long history of criticizing Trump.
Some on the right have called for people who spoke out against Kirk following his killing to face consequences. Since Kirk was killed, institutions from airlines to schools have moved quickly to discipline employees accused of celebrating or mocking his death. Steve Bannon, a right-wing pundit and former Trump adviser, called for mass arrests and a crackdown on universities, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed staff members to identify and discipline service members who mocked or condoned Kirk’s killing, two defense officials told NBC News. But Kimmel’s removal is by far the highest-profile move yet, even as some on the right have criticized the idea of cracking down on people who spoke against Kirk.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” debuted in 2003, and Kimmel has since cemented himself in the late-night space, becoming one of the highest-profile comedians on television, hosting the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. He also emerged as a staunch critic of Trump, with Trump at times biting back. Trump, who in recent years has ramped up pressure on major media organizations with a series of lawsuits, sued ABC, ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation over an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. ABC settled the lawsuits for $15 million. Rebecca Keegan
What’s even more chilling is that at the same time, former President Donald Trump appeared at a campaign rally and bluntly announced that within the next 10 days, he would make a move that would “change everything.” Trump did not reveal details, leaving a series of questions to be raised in public opinion: was he referring to a legal plan, a campaign to tighten the media, or even a political announcement to silence critics like Kimmel? The event quickly ignited a debate about free speech in the US. Many called it a dark day, when the voice of satire was silenced and the shadow of politics seemed to be looming over the entertainment industry.
