Disney-owned ABC has pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely” following host Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial remarks about the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The move comes amid heightened scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission and widespread political reaction.
Kimmel, in his Monday night monologue, suggested that Tyler Robinson—the man charged with fatally shooting Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10—was aligned with former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. “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,” Kimmel said, later noting, “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
ABC’s decision followed remarks from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, who criticized Kimmel’s comments as “truly sick” and warned of potential consequences for ABC and Disney, citing their broadcast license obligations. Carr told right-wing commentator Benny Johnson that the FCC could take further action if Disney did not address the situation internally, emphasizing that licensees must operate in the public interest.
Earlier Wednesday, Nexstar Media Group, which owns roughly 10% of ABC affiliates and is seeking FCC approval for its $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, preemptively announced it would not air Kimmel’s show “for the foreseeable future,” citing the host’s remarks. About 5% of ABC affiliates are owned by Tegna.
Trump praised ABC’s move on social media, calling it “Great News for America” and congratulating the network for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He also suggested NBC follow suit, targeting shows such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
The backlash has extended beyond Kimmel. MSNBC recently fired political analyst Matthew Dowd over on-air comments about Kirk’s assassination, and Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah was terminated after highlighting perceived racial double standards in social media reactions to the killing.
Despite the indefinite removal, a person familiar with Kimmel’s situation told CNBC that he has not been fired. Disney executives reportedly plan to meet with Kimmel to discuss how he should address the incident when the show returns.
The controversy has sparked a broader debate over free expression and government influence in media. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Biden nominee, criticized Carr’s comments, tweeting that exploiting an “inexcusable act of political violence” to justify censorship is unacceptable. “Free expression is non-negotiable. It marks the line between freedom and oppression. We must defend it without compromise,” Gomez wrote after ABC pulled the show.
ABC has officially stated that “‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will be pre-empted indefinitely,” signaling a pause in the popular late-night program as discussions continue over how Kimmel addresses the fallout from his comments.
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