Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to Jimmy Kimmel Live on September 23, after a brief suspension by ABC. His suspension began on September 17, following remarks that the network deemed insensitive towards both President Donald Trump and the late political activist Charlie Kirk, who was tragically murdered on September 10 at Utah Valley University.
The situation escalated when Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, condemned Kimmel’s comments, comparing Trump’s mourning of Kirk to that of “a four-year-old mourning a goldfish,” labeling them as “sick” and claiming Kimmel had misled the public.
Both Sinclair Group, the largest ABC affiliate, and Nexstar, which manages several ABC stations, announced they would not air Jimmy Kimmel Live going forward due to his comments.
However, in a recent statement, the Walt Disney Company—ABC’s parent organization—confirmed Kimmel’s return. They noted, “After thoughtful discussions with Jimmy over the past few days, we’ve made the decision to resume the show on Tuesday.” Disney added that the decision to suspend Kimmel’s show was made to prevent further escalation during a sensitive time for the country, acknowledging that certain comments were “ill-timed and insensitive.”
The suspension faced backlash from various public figures, including a defense from Barack Obama, who criticized the action as an extension of “cancel culture.” Kimmel’s peers also rallied in support; David Letterman described the Trump administration as “criminal” for endorsing the censorship, while Howard Stern expressed his discontent by canceling his Disney+ subscription.
Support for Kimmel also came from his fellow late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart. Furthermore, an open letter signed by 400 members of the acting community—including A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, and Mark Ruffalo—was released on September 21, advocating for free speech. The letter stated, “This is the moment to defend free speech across our nation. We encourage all Americans to join us, along with the ACLU, in the fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.”
