ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel off air after comments made about the Charlie Kirk killing
ABC announced Wednesday it’s pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air indefinitely. The sudden move followed threats from the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission to the stations that carry the show, and backlash to comments Kimmel made this week about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
An ABC spokesperson told NPR Wednesday evening that “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely.”
During his monologue on Monday, Kimmel took a few jabs at President Trump, as he has done many times. He made fun of Trump’s seemingly indifferent response to a reporter’s question about Charlie Kirk’s killing as Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University Sept. 10. A 22-year-old Utah man has been arrested and charged in the fatal shooting.
But it was what Kimmel said right before that that upset people, including Trump: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.”
On his show last week, Kimmel called Kirk’s murder “senseless.” And on the day it happened, Kimmel posted a message on Instagram sending love to the Kirk family and to the victims of gun violence.
On Truth Social, President Trump congratulated ABC for its “courage” in shutting down Kimmel’s show.
It was just two months ago the president was celebrating after CBS announced it was canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — another longtime Trump critic.
At the time, Trump warned that Jimmy Kimmel was next. In his latest post, Trump said “that leaves Jimmy and Seth”— late night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. The president urged NBC to cancel them.
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, criticized Kimmel’s remarks and threatened federal action against ABC affiliates who carried the show.
“Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said to podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Nexstar, which operates 32 ABC stations around the country, is seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion dollar merger. After Nexstar announced it was pulling Kimmel’s show, Sinclair Broadcast Group was next. That major TV station operator said in a statement that suspending the show is not enough. “Sinclair also calls upon Mr. Kimmel to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”
On Friday, Sinclair is replacing Kimmel’s show with a tribute to Charlie Kirk.
NPR reached out to Jimmy Kimmel and his show but has not yet heard back.
Kimmel has a lot of supporters, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, comedians, actors and free speech organizations that are denouncing the suspension as censorship. SAG-AFTRA and the Musicians Union sent letters of support to Kimmel.
The Writers Guild of America — which represents the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live! — also sent a letter saying they oppose anyone who uses their power and influence to “silence the voices of writers or anyone who speaks in dissent.”
The WGA wrote: “The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other — to disturb, even, is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people.”
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