Disney-owned ABC has announced the indefinite suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" following the host's controversial monologue on Monday regarding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This decision comes in the wake of harsh criticism from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, who warned of potential actions against Disney and ABC.
During the segment, Kimmel speculated that the alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, might be a Republican and a supporter of Donald Trump. He accused the MAGA faction of trying to portray Robinson as someone different to gain political advantage. Kimmel stated, "The MAGA gang is desperately trying to frame this guy who killed Charlie Kirk as anything but one of them, and they're pulling out all the stops to score political points."
The incident involving Kirk—who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University—has further fueled the nation's polarization. Carr described Kimmel's remarks as "the most sickening behavior possible," suggesting that the FCC might consider reviewing or even revoking licenses of ABC affiliates as punishment. Meanwhile, Commissioner Anna Gómez publicly challenged Carr's comments on X.
In a related move, Nexstar Media Group, which operates over 200 stations in the U.S., announced that its ABC affiliates would replace "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" starting Wednesday night, a decision Carr praised as "the right thing to do."
The suspension comes two months after CBS announced the permanent end of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," citing "purely financial" reasons amid the challenging late-night landscape. However, Colbert's fans saw this as retribution for his criticisms of former President Trump.
ABC has not specified how long the suspension will last or what will fill the show's time slot. Meanwhile, the debate intensifies over the boundaries of political satire and the role of regulators concerning content aired by major networks and their affiliates.
Impact of Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension
Why was "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" suspended?
The show was suspended due to Jimmy Kimmel's controversial comments regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk, which sparked backlash and threats of action from the FCC.
What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk's murder?
Kimmel suggested that the alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, was a Republican and Trump supporter, and accused the MAGA group of trying to distance themselves from him for political gain.
How did the FCC respond to Kimmel's comments?
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel's remarks as "sickening" and hinted at potential reviews or revocations of ABC affiliates' licenses.