American Broadcasting Company ABC, which is owned by Walt-Disney stated that it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air as Kimmel’s remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk prompted a threat by the head of the top US communications regulator against Disney.
Donald Trump, repeatedly pressuring broadcasters to stop airing content he found objectionable, celebrated the news in a social media post. A number of Democratic lawmakers assailed the decision, saying free speech was under attack.
The suspension of Kimmel’s show marks the latest action taken against media figures, academic workers, teachers and corporate employees over their remarks about Kirk following his assassination.
Republican leaders and conservative commentators have warned Americans to mourn Kirk respectfully or suffer consequences, and some people have been fired or suspended after discussing the killing online.
Kimmel, who has frequently targeted Trump on his late-night comedy show, drew fire for remarks he made about the killing in his monologue on Monday. “We hit some new lows over the weekend, with 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,” Kimmel said.
Hollywood stars blasted the White House for targeting free speech after ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s talk under regulatory threats from Donald Trump’s administration, rallying behind the late-night comic after his comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
ABC stated that it was yanking Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after at least one affiliate said it would replace the show on its airwaves, and the nation’s top communications regulator threatened investigations due to Kimmel’s statements.
The suspension of Kimmel’s show marked the latest action against media figures, academic workers, teachers and corporate employees over their remarks about Kirk following the 31-year-old’s assassination a week ago in Utah.
Late-night show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and David Letterman have all rallied behind Jimmy Kimmel following ABC’s decision to indefinitely suspend his popular late-night show after his comments about the rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel has been embroiled in the effort by US President Donald Trump and his supporters to punish critics of assassinated right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at a Utah university on September 10. Since then, allies of Trump and Kirk have warned Americans to properly mourn the divisive figure or face consequences.