ABC has suspended late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel indefinitely after remarks he made regarding the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk sparked controversy. The Disney-owned network announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be pulled from its schedule, while declining to say when or if the show would return.
The fallout came swiftly after Kimmel’s Monday night monologue, in which he accused supporters of Donald Trump’s “MAGA movement” of using Kirk’s killing for political gain. He also mocked the half-staff flag tributes and criticised the former president’s public grieving, calling Trump’s response “childlike.”
President Trump, celebrating the network’s move, hailed it as “great news for America” and claimed Kimmel’s show was effectively “cancelled.”
Kimmel, who has hosted the ABC late-night staple since 2003 and earned a reputation for skewering Trump, left his Hollywood studio without comment following the announcement. Fans waiting in line for the taping voiced frustration, with some calling the suspension an attack on free speech. A handful of protesters gathered outside, holding signs critical of Trump.
Celebrities including Ben Stiller, Jean Smart, John Legend, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Josh Gad came to Kimmel’s defense, decrying ABC’s decision as censorship. Hollywood unions like the WGA and SAG-AFTRA also slammed the suspension, arguing that it undermines constitutional protections and threatens artistic freedoms.
At the same time, broadcasters ramped up the pressure. Nexstar Media, a powerful local station owner, said it would not carry Kimmel’s program “for the foreseeable future,” describing his comments as “offensive and insensitive.” Sinclair, another major ABC affiliate group, announced plans to replace the show with a tribute special for Kirk.
The suspension gained momentum when FCC chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, publicly blasted Kimmel’s remarks as “sick conduct” and urged Disney to act. Carr thanked broadcasters for dropping the program, though FCC Democrat Anna Gomez warned against weaponizing a single violent tragedy to justify censorship efforts.
Kimmel has not been fired, according to reports, and discussions are underway about his possible return—potentially after issuing a statement. But the controversy comes at a turbulent moment for late-night television more broadly. Rival host Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is slated to end next year amid Paramount restructuring, and network executives are struggling to hold audiences as younger viewers migrate to streaming platforms.
The clash also unfolds against the backdrop of tense relations between media companies and former president Trump. Recent settlements—including ABC’s $15 million payout in a defamation case and CBS’s $16 million legal settlement with Trump—highlight how political and legal battles are reshaping the broadcasting landscape.
For now, one of America’s most recognizable late-night personalities is off air, caught at the center of an increasingly heated cultural and political storm.
Who is Jimmy Kimmel?
Jimmy Kimmel is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003.
Kimmel is said to criticise President Trump. A new study at George Mason University found that he has 177 jokes about President Trump’s first 100 days in office.
At the 76th Creative Arts Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Host for a Game Show. The host won the award for hosting ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ on September 7.
His show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ was also nominated for Outstanding Talk Series at Emmy Awards 2025.
According to his biography on IMDb, Jimmy Kimmel was born on November 13, 1967, in Brooklyn, New York City, US. He began his career in radio, working as a morning DJ before transitioning to television in the late 1990s.
He is popularly known for Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003), The Man Show (1999) and Win Ben Stein’s Money (1997). He had also hosted the Academy Awards in 2017 and 2018, and the Emmy Awards in 2012 and 2016.
According to the Television Academy, Kimmel also produced such shows as Crank Yankers, Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, and The Andy Milonakis Show.
Kimmel has been married to Molly McNearney since July 13, 2013. They have two children. He was previously married to Gina Kimmel.
Jimmy Kimmel also broke the Guinness World Record for most miles flown in a five-day work week (30,000-plus miles back and forth from New York to California), hosting two television shows, as per IMDb.
Jimmy Kimmel was also awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, on January 25, 2013.
In 2018, Time magazine named him as one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People”.
Why was Jimmy Kimmel fired?
Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended by the ABC network following his remarks on the assassination Trump ally Charlie Kirk.
During a monologue on his late-night show on Monday, Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.
Charlie Kirk was shot dead on September 10 at an event at a Utah university in what the governor had described as a political assassination.
On Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr openly threatened the license of ABC affiliates who broadcast Kimmel’s show.
Hours later, Nexstar, one of the country’s biggest owners of ABC affiliate stations, announced it would be removing the show from its stations.
ABC — which is owned by Disney — then followed suit, pulling the show nationwide.
BREAKING: Nexstar announces it will drop Jimmy Kimmel’s show from ABC stations “for the foreseeable future” following vile Charlie Kirk comments pic.twitter.com/jL83GROW3r
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 17, 2025
What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say About Charlie Kirk?
Jimmy Kimmel commented on the assassination of Charlie Kirk by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on September 9 at Utah Valley University. Kimmel said that Robinson was associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA), saying that he was part of the ‘MAGA gang.’ He, however, did not elaborate further on the basis on which he claimed so.
Tyler Robinson’s Motive
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect who fatally shot Charlie Kirk, appeared at the Utah County Court in Provo on Tuesday and confessed to killing Kirk. Robinson revealed in text messages to his partner and roommate that he “had had enough of his hatred” and thought “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
Jimmy Kimmel’s net worth
The Emmy-winning TV host’s net worth was $35 million in 2017, according to IMDb. But, as of 2025, Jimmy Kimmel’s net worth stands at $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How much does Jimmy Kimmel make per year as host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”? $15 million, the report stated.
According to Forbes, Jimmy Kimmel is ranked 23rd among the highest-paid TV hosts in 2025. As per the report, he earns approximately $16 million.
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The Murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University event
Who is Karen Attiah? Why Did The Washington Post Fire Its Opinion Columnist?
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