A news has come from the political and entertainment circles of America and has created a big stir. The ABC network has taken major action against the famous late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel and has decided to close his popular show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ indefinitely. This decision was taken after Kimmel made controversial statements about the recently murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk on his Monday show. The incident has started a big discussion in America on freedom of expression, media responsibility and political polarization. On one hand, Kimmel and his supporters are calling it ‘government overreach’ and an attack on freedom of expression, while on the other hand, President Donald Trump and his supporters are welcoming the decision.
Kimmel’s controversial statement and the reason for the controversy that followed
The whole affair began with a tragic incident on September 10th. Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA and a prominent activist, was shot and killed by 22-year-old gunman Tyler Robinson on the campus of Utah Valley University. The incident shook the entire country. The political atmosphere heated up after the murder, and accusations began to be leveled at both sides. In this context, Jimmy Kimmel commented on the issue during his usual comedic monologue on Monday night’s ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’. However, his statement was found offensive and hateful by many. Kimmel said, “The ‘MAGA’ (Make America Great Again) gang has reached a new low this weekend, trying to portray the kid who killed Charlie Kirk as one of them.” Kimmel’s statement was interpreted as accusing his political opponents of politicizing Kirk’s murder and making fun of a serious incident like the murder. Kimmel was heavily criticized on social media and in the media after this statement. Many accused him of making insensitive and hateful comments.
Kimmel's response after ABC Network's strict action
Seeing the controversy growing, ABC Network immediately took strict action. On Wednesday, the network announced that it was shutting down the program ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ ‘indefinitely’ and that Kimmel had been suspended. Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest broadcasting companies in the United States, which serves as the primary affiliate for ABC, also confirmed that it would stop airing Kimmel’s program. Jimmy Kimmel was ‘absolutely furious’ after the decision, sources close to him said. In an interview with the Daily Mail, a producer said that Kimmel was extremely upset by the decision and was currently in talks with network executives. According to Kimmel, “This is clearly government overreach. If the government can rely on companies to shut down any content they don’t like, there’s no such thing as free speech left in America.” The decision is the “final blow” for Kimmel, and he is now “actively” considering terminating his contract with ABC. A source said, “I’ve never seen Kimmel so angry.” He will not take the decision lightly and is looking for legal ways to get out of the deal.
Donald Trump's reaction to the news of the action on Jimmy Kimmel's show
As soon as the news of the action taken on Jimmy Kimmel’s show broke, President Donald Trump welcomed the decision. Kimmel is considered a big critic of Trump and has often targeted Trump on his show. Trump shared a post on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’. Notably, he made this post while on a trip to England, where he went to meet King Charles and other British leaders.
Trump wrote, “Good news for America: Jimmy Kimmel has been canceled due to declining ratings. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what it should have done. Kimmel has zero talent and his ratings are worse than Colbert’s if possible.” He further called on NBC to also take action against its late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
The media described Trump’s reaction as Kimmel’s ‘dancing on a grave late at night’. This gives an idea of how polarized the political atmosphere in America has become.
FCC Chairman's Role and Media Turnaround
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr has also made his position clear on the case, calling the stand taken by major broadcasters like Nexstar and Sinclair against national programmer Disney (ABC’s parent company) “unprecedented.” Carr said, “I can’t imagine another time when a local broadcaster would tell a national programmer like Disney that your content no longer meets the needs and values of our community. So this is a major turning point in media.” He accused late-night shows of imposing narrow political ideology by becoming “court priests.” In his opinion, Kimmel and ABC should issue a public apology for this case. The Jimmy Kimmel case is not limited to the suspension of a TV show. This case highlights many important issues in America, such as the limits of freedom of expression, the social responsibility of the media, and the increasing political polarization. On the one hand, Kimmel and his supporters see this as a decision taken under political pressure and an attack on freedom of expression. On the other hand, critics say that the media and celebrities need to show more responsibility when commenting on sensitive topics such as murder.
The incident has also sparked a debate about the nature of late-night shows, which have become platforms for political propaganda rather than just entertainment. Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’ has also been announced to end in 2026, a move that was welcomed by Trump. Now that Kimmel and Colbert are in the same situation, there is a possibility that they will come together to fight for their views. ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ has been a staple of ABC since 2004. It will be important to see what its future holds and how this case will affect the American entertainment and political landscape. But one thing is certain: this incident has given a new direction to the social and political debate in America.