Jimmy Kimmel. Image: Jacaranda shared via X.
(The Post News) –Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been “indefinitely” suspended following Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks on the Charlie Kirk murder case. The decision has fueled debate over free speech in a climate where pressure from Republicans and conservative power brokers is increasingly shaping media outcomes.
Broadcaster ABC announced that the 23-year-old late-night show would be “indefinitely” pulled off the air due to comments the host made about Kirk. On Monday’s episode, Kimmel said, “We had some new lows over the weekend with 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.”
The comment drew a lot of criticism from the conservative community. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr condemned Kimmel’s comments as “misleading” and even threatened to revoke ABC affiliate licenses. Nexstar Media Group, an ABC affiliate, subsequently moved to remove the show altogether.
The controversy followed the arrest of Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally shooting conservative activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley State University. While Robinson had not been formally tied to any group and had never voted, his family said he had “become more political in recent years.”
However, prior to this reveal, Trump’s first reaction to Kirk’s assassination was to release a 4-minute video on X on September 11th, blaming Democrats for Kirk’s murder. He said, “For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and mass murderers. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism responsible today.” He added, “Radical left political violence has hurt too many people and has taken too many lives.”
From Colbert to Kimmel: Conservatives Target Late-Night Voices
The abrupt move has unsettled many viewers who saw Kimmel’s words as opinionated but not hateful. Comedian Wanda Sykes voiced support on Instagram, accusing Trump of having “ended freedom of speech.”
This marks the second late-night show canceled under conservative pressure. Earlier this year, Stephen Colbert confirmed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end after its current season.
According to Colbert, the show’s cancellation may be connected to Paramount’s merger with Skydance, which required sign-off from the Trump administration. He argued that, given his vocal opposition to Trump, executives may have pulled the plug to secure the agreement.
At the time, Trump celebrated the move and foreshadowed Kimmel’s fate, posting on X, “Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes, and, shortly thereafter, [Jimmy] Fallon will be gone.” In his Emmy Award acceptance speech, Colbert responded wryly, saying he hopes more late-night shows come after him.
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