NEW YORK (AP) — ABC will reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late evening present within the wake of criticism over his feedback in regards to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, officers with the community stated Monday.
“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” stated an announcement from the community.
ABC suspended Kimmel indefinitely after feedback he made about Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10, in a monologue. Kimmel stated “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
Kimmel has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC since 2003 and has been a fixture in tv and comedy for even longer. He’s additionally properly generally known as a presenter, having hosted the Academy Awards 4 occasions.
Backlash to Kimmel’s feedback about Kirk was swift. Nexstar and Sinclair, two of ABC’s largest affiliate house owners, stated they’d be pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from their stations. Others, together with a number of fellow comedians, got here to his protection.
Kimmel was requested in an interview with Selection this previous summer season if he was apprehensive that the administration would come after comedians. He expressed concern {that a} crackdown might be on the best way.
“Well, you’d have to be naive not to worry a little bit,” he stated. “But that can’t change what you’re doing.”
Kimmel’s suspension arrived in a time when Trump and his administration have pursued threats, lawsuits and federal authorities strain to attempt to exert extra management over the media trade. Trump has reached settlements with ABC and CBS over their protection.
Trump has additionally filed defamation lawsuits in opposition to The Wall Road Journal and The New York Occasions. Republicans in Congress stripped federal funding from NPR and PBS.
Brendan Carr, the top of the Federal Communications Fee, issued a warning previous to Kimmel’s suspension that criticized Kimmel’s remarks in regards to the Kirk assassination.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr stated. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Oscar Villanueva holds an indication outdoors El Capitan Leisure Centre, the place the late-night present “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is staged, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Picture/Jae C. Hong)
The suspension additionally occurred at a time when the late evening panorama is shifting. CBS introduced the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s present over the summer season
Kimmel’s contract with The Walt Disney Co.-owned community had been set to run out in Could 2026.
Phrase of the reinstatement got here as a whole bunch of Hollywood and Broadway stars — together with Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep — urged People “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights” within the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension.
Greater than 430 film, TV and stage stars in addition to comedians, administrators and writers added their names to an open letter Monday from the American Civil Liberties Union that argues it’s “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”
Additionally Monday, ABC’s “The View” weighed in on the controversy after not elevating it for 2 episodes after Kimmel was suspended. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg opened the present saying: “No one silences us” and he or she and her fellow hosts condemned Disney’s resolution.
Initially Printed: September 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM PDT
