Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled from the air — and Hollywood has a lot to say about it!
If you missed it, in a shocking announcement, ABC confirmed Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night show would be put on hiatus “indefinitely” beginning on Wednesday. Their decision came shortly after distributor Nexstar said it “strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
Related: Taylor Swift Terrified Of Very Real ‘Threats’ After Charlie Kirk Murder!
BTW, this comes as the company is trying to acquire a rival broadcast company called Tegna for $6.2 billion. It would put them in 80% of the country’s TV-owning households. But the acquisition requires final approval from Donald Trump‘s controlled Federal Communications Commission.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr has already praised Nextar for putting pressure on ABC, noting on X (Twitter) that “it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
What did Jimmy say to cause all this?? In Monday’s opening monologue, he discussed Charlie Kirk’s murder, saying:
“The MAGA Gang (is) 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. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
He made other critical comments about conservative politicians’ reaction to the death in his Tuesday show, as well. And then he was dramatically silenced.
While the talk show host — who had kind words to offer Kirk’s family after his loss, by the way — has yet to comment on the shocking turn of events, many of his fellow comedians, actors, and others in Hollywood and beyond are speaking out!
In an Instagram video, Wanda Sykes remarked:
“Let’s see. He didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.”
Comedian Mike Birbiglia also wrote on the platform:
“I’ve spent a lot of time in public + private defending comedians I don’t agree with. If you’re a comedian + don’t call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air — don’t bother spouting off about free speech anymore.”
See many more reactions:
Roseanne Barr: “I’m available to fill in @ABCNetwork”
Rosie O’Donnell: “this is unacceptable – f**k this fascist administration and corrupt corporate executives – bowing to the orange monster – america is no more.”
Megyn Kelly: “Just think for a minute about the amount of IRATE mail/viewer feedback they must have gotten to do this.”
Chris Hayes: “This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.”
Ben Stiller: “This isn’t right.”
Sophia Bush: “The First Amendment doesn’t exist in America anymore. Period. Fascism is here and it’s chilling.”
Alex Edelman: “This is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much.”
Kathy Griffin: “Please, take it from me, it is very important to have Jimmy Kimmel’s back right now. Be vocal. Be an ideological consumer. Money is all their crown cares about.”
Jean Smart: “I am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live. What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda. Though I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”
Don Lemon: “The Jimmy Kimmel Live! show has been preempted indefinitely over a joke. This should send a chill down everyone’s spine in America!”
Henry Winkler: “@jimmykimmel his humor, his insights are important to keep showing us who we are . AND he is a most wonderful fellow.”
Geraldo Rivera: “Regarding Jimmy Kimmel, censorship sucks, but so does inflaming hatred. America’s in a tight spot right now. We don’t have to agree, but we have to respect each other.”
Josh Gad: “I see we are at the passive participation of authoritarianism now. God help us all.”
Alison Brie: “This is unreal. And very scary.”
Halsey: “we’re in the ‘tell on your friends and neighbors’, ‘extreme censorship’, ‘indistinguishable propaganda’ part of the fascism, in case it wasn’t clear.”
Christie Brinkley shared a photo of all the top late night hosts, including John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert (whose show was also canceled), and Jimmy Fallon, saying:
“Love these guys ! The laughter they provide us is as important as the air we breath! And they are taking another one of them off the air tonight! WE MUST PROTECT their and OUR 1st Anendnent [sic] RIGHTS!!!!”
Meanwhile, Senator Cory Booker shared an photo of the text of the First Amendment:
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett added:
“Kimmel hurts MAGA’S feelings by holding a mirror up & so the first amendment is out the window and his show is pulled… who is going to tell them that, that is the definition of being a snowflake… as well as supporting anti-democratic ideals? (Not patriotic at all).”
Her statement continued:
“Now is anyone going to talk about the fact that Faux News had an anchor say that mentally ill homeless people should be given ‘involuntary lethal injection,’ and days later an unhoused man is strung up in a Tree in Mississippi & an entire homeless encampment was targeted where 2 individuals were shot in the head & 5 others were injured in Minnesota… NO OUTRAGE, let alone coverage, because you only value certain lives & certain speech. I’m waiting on y’all soft asses to cancel rainbows.”
California Govenor Gavin Newsom simiarly expressed on X (Twitter):
“Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.”
During a Thursday morning appearance on the Today show, Jason Bateman commented on the matter, pointing out to Craig Melvin:
“It’s troubling to say the least and we all have to really take a moment and figure out how we feel about this type of thing, especially people doing what you do. You can’t just stand by and let stuff like that go on.”
It’s not just stars sharing their opinion. Several unions have also stood up for Kimmel, including the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) said in a statement:
“SAG-AFTRA condemns the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on. Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed.
The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedom. SAG-AFTRA stands with all media artists and defends their right to express their diverse points of view, and everyone’s right to hear them.”
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) also “stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers,” declaring:
“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.
As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to – painful as it may be at times – is the freeing agreement to disagree.
Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.”
And The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) of the United States and Canada President Tino Gagliardi — musicians employed on the show are from Local 47 in Los Angeles — also issued a statement:
“This is not complicated: Trump’s FCC [Federal Communications Commission] identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme reprisals. This is state censorship. It’s now happening in the United States of America, not some far-off country. It’s happening right here and right now.
This act by the Trump Administration represents a direct attack on free speech and artistic expression. These are fundamental rights that we must protect in a free society. The American Federation of Musicians strongly condemns the decision to take Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air. We stand in solidarity with all those who will be without work because of government overreach.”
As mentioned, at the time of this writing, Jimmy has not addressed the hiatus.
What are YOUR thoughts about this? Let us know (below).
[Image via ABC/Charlie Kirk/YouTube & MEGA/WENN]