ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! After remarks on Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Disney-owned ABC said on Wednesday it was taking Jimmy Kimmel Live! Off the air. The move came after the host joked about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a monologue that quickly drew political fire and even a warning from the head of the Federal Communications Commission.
Former President Donald Trump welcomed the decision. On his social media platform, he praised ABC and, in the same breath, urged NBC to fire Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, who also mock him on their late-night shows.
The suspension, however, sparked pushback from Democrats. Several senators warned that the move set a dangerous precedent. Senator Ed Markey went further, calling it “censorship in action.”
Regulatory Pressure ABC
On Monday, Kimmel harshly criticized the reaction of MAGA supporters to the murder of Kirk in his monologue, which sparked the controversy. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr declared the show “not in the best interests of local communities” and threatened Disney and its partners with sanctions, including fines and license reviews.
Following this, ABC’s largest partner, Nexstar Media Group, announced it was stopping airing the show on 32 of its stations. Nexstar is awaiting approval of a major settlement with the FCC, and Carr publicly thanked the company for “making the right decision.” ABC itself soon announced it was temporarily taking Kimmel off the air.
Media Market Reaction
Kimmel declined to comment. His show is taped at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. Sinclair, ABC’s largest partner, has already warned that it will not return the program to the air until Kimmel apologizes.
The situation surrounding Kirk’s murder continues to impact the media. Several journalists and analysts have lost their jobs in recent days for harsh statements about the activist. MSNBC fired Matthew Dowd after his X (Twitter) post, and Washington Post columnist Karen Attia left the publication after a series of articles about Kirk.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was killed last week during a speech at the University of Utah. A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder, and the motive remains unclear.
