ABC has suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel indefinitely following remarks he made regarding the shooting of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” a representative for the Disney-owned network stated.
The suspension follows Kimmel’s comments earlier this week where he suggested that the “Maga gang” was attempting to exploit Kirk’s death for political gain.
While Kimmel has not yet issued a statement, former President Donald Trump commented that the suspension was “great news for America.”
The network’s decision came shortly after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr threatened potential action against Disney and ABC concerning Kimmel’s statements.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr, a Trump appointee, stated on the conservative podcast, the Benny Show.
“These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
During his Monday night monologue, Kimmel asserted: “The Maga Gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
The term “Maga,” an abbreviation of Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” is frequently associated with the former president’s supporters, who often display the phrase on apparel.
The late-night host also commented on the flags being flown at half-mast in Kirk’s honor, which had garnered criticism, and satirized Trump’s response to the shooting.
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel stated, known for his frequent jabs at Trump.
On the day of the shooting, Kimmel expressed his condemnation of the attack and conveyed “love” to Kirk’s family via Instagram.
A 22-year-old suspect has since been arraigned on charges of aggravated murder.
Shortly following ABC’s announcement of Kimmel’s suspension, Trump posted on social media: “The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”
Kimmel has been a prominent figure in late-night television for years, hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since 2003 and serving as the Oscars host four times.
After the suspension was announced, Kimmel was seen leaving the show’s studio on Hollywood Boulevard wearing casual attire and departing in a vehicle without making a statement.
Fans who were waiting in line to attend the live show expressed their disappointment upon learning of the cancellation.
Janna Blackwell, a tourist from Virginia, remarked to the BBC: “You know, this is getting ridiculous and stupid.”
“Freedom of speech. He shared his opinion and is being cancelled. To me that is bizarre.”
Several notable Hollywood personalities have voiced their opposition to Kimmel’s suspension, with actor Ben Stiller sharing the news on X, adding, “This isn’t right.”
Jean Smart, star of “Hacks” and recent Emmy winner, expressed her dismay on Instagram, stating she was “horrified at the cancellation” and asserting that “What Jimmy said was free speech, not hate speech.”
Conversely, some argue that Kimmel’s suspension does not qualify as cancel culture.
“When a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it that’s not cancel culture. That is consequences for your actions,” commented businessman Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports.
House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement accusing Carr of “engaging in the corrupt abuse of power” and calling for his resignation.
“He has disgraced the office he holds by bullying ABC, the employer of Jimmy Kimmel, and forcing the company to bend the knee to the Trump administration,” the statement read, attributed to figures including Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The ABC announcement coincided with Nexstar Media, a major owner of television stations in the U.S., announcing that it would cease airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future, beginning with tonight’s show.”
Nexstar cited Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk as “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
“[We] do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” stated Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.
Carr expressed his gratitude to Nexstar “for doing the right thing” and voiced his hope that other broadcasters would follow suit. Nexstar is currently awaiting FCC approval for its proposed $6.2 billion merger with Tegna.
Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the U.S., followed suit, announcing that it would air a special remembrance program dedicated to Kirk this Friday during the original time slot for Kimmel’s show.
Carr previously characterized Kimmel’s monologue as “the sickest conduct possible” and urged Disney to take action.
“[Broadcasters] have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest,” the Trump appointee stated on the Benny Show.
He suggested that an apology from Kimmel would be a “very reasonable, minimal step.”
However, Anna Gomez, the sole Democratic member of the FCC, criticized Carr’s remarks.
She posted on X that “an inexcusable act of political violence by one disturbed individual must never be exploited as justification for broader censorship or control.”
The Writers Guild of America (WGA), Hollywood’s labor union, condemned the decision to suspend Kimmel as a violation of constitutional free speech rights.
“Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth,” the WGA stated.
A source familiar with Kimmel’s situation told CNBC that the host had not been terminated and that network executives intended to discuss with the comedian what he should say upon his return to the air.
Kimmel’s situation is the latest example of late-night programs facing challenges as audiences increasingly shift to streaming services over traditional network television.
In July, CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert next year after 11 seasons.
Network executives maintained that the decision was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
However, Colbert criticized the network and its parent company following the announcement.
He accused CBS of leaking financial figures to the press and alluded to a $16 million settlement with Trump stemming from a lawsuit over an interview its 60 Minutes program conducted last year with former Vice-President Kamala Harris.
That payout occurred several months after Disney-owned ABC agreed to pay Trump $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit after its star anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely stated that the president had been found “liable for rape.”
A jury in a civil case had determined Trump was liable for “sexual abuse,” a term with a specific legal definition under New York law.
BBC News used AI to help write the summary at the top of this article. It was edited by BBC journalists. Find out more.
Despite opposition to the deal, Ghana’s president says 40 more deportees will arrive from the US.
US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania are in the UK for an unprecedented second state visit.
The campus reopened a week after the conservative activist was assassinated while speaking with students.
The US leader said the journalist was “hurting Australia very much” as he said he would meet the country’s PM “very soon”.
An immigration judge ordered Khalil be deported to Algeria or Syria over claims he omitted information on a green card application.