Late-night hosts gather behind Jimmy Kimmel after ABC suspension
Stephen Colbert, Seth Myers and John Stewart respond to the threats from Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC suspension and the FCC.
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension continues to draw rage across the entertainment industry, with several major Disney stars standing up for comedians.
Mark Ruffalo, who stars as Hulk in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, said in a post about the September 20th thread that cancelling Kimmel’s show permanently would cause the company’s shares to “down even more.”
“Disney doesn’t want to be something that destroyed America,” Ruffalo wrote.
Disney-owned ABC said, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” On September 17, after facing pressure from the Federal Communications Commission over the comedian’s comments, the “Magagang” was “deeply trying to characterize this child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something other than them.”
Kirk, co-founder of conservative organization Turning Point USA, was shot dead at an event held at Utah Valley University on September 10th. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was charged with his murder.
According to court documents released after Kimmel’s monologue, Robinson’s mother told police that her son “begins to tilt left – he began to turn more gay and right-oriented.” Federal Communications Commission president Brendan Kerr claimed Kimmel misled viewers about Robinson’s politics.
“Fantastic Four: First Step” lead Pedro Pascal defended Kimmel in 2026, starring in two major Disney films (The Mandalorian and Grog) and Marvel’s “Avengers: Dooms Day.” In an Instagram post on September 18th, Pascal said he wrote that he was standing with the comedian, defending #FreeSpeech Defend #Democracy.”
In an Instagram story that has since been released, Tatiana Maslany, who appeared in the Disney+ Marvel series Sheharuk: Lawyer, encouraged her followers to “cancel” their Disney+ subscription on Kimmel’s suspension.
Damon Lindelof, one of the creators of the ABC series “Lost,” said on Instagram that he will not work with Disney again unless Kimmel’s suspension is released.
“I was shocked, saddened and angry at yesterday’s suspension and look forward to being lifted soon,” he wrote on September 18th.
In her September 20 Instagram Story, Olivia Rodrigo, who presented “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” at Disney, expressed her support for Kimmel, saying she was “very upset by this blatant censorship and abuse of power.”
The Grammy Award-winning singer released her 2022 documentary, Driving Home 2 U, on Disney+, adding, “I stand with Jimmy Kimmel and I represent freedom of speech.”
In a deadline column, Dangill Roy, who won Emmy for writing for the Disney+ “Star Wars” series “Andre,” said there are similarities between the show’s portrayal of the “fascist takeover” and the depiction of recent events.
“Donald Trump’s governance, coercion and intimidation tools focus on Hollywood,” wrote Gilroy. “Social media firestorm, fear, FCC’s heads are being threatened with “they can do this in an easy or difficult way.”
He said, “I am deeply opposed, but I accept that it is a difficult decision. If you believe that is not, wait until fate demands you knock on your door and choose between conscience and hardship – because if you are working in this industry, that day is coming.”
Jay Reno and Conan O’Brien support Jimmy Kimmel in suspension
Other stars who focused on Kimmel’s suspension include former night hosts Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien.
While talking to reporters at Chris Wallace’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony, Leno said he was “by Jimmy Kimmel’s side,” and “it’s true that it’s usually cancelled.”
Meanwhile, O’Brien said in X that Kimmel’s suspension and “the promise to silence other late-night hosts to criticize the administration should disrupt everyone on the right, left and center. It’s wrong, and those of conscience know that it’s wrong.”
Former night host David Letterman previously denounced Kimmel’s suspension at the Atlantic Festival and slammed ABC for a “silly” decision.
“You can’t fire someone because you’re afraid or you’re trying to suck into authoritarian criminal administration in an oval office,” he said. “That’s not how this works.”
President Donald Trump returned to the social post of truth and called Letterman “a very overrated” and “loser.”
