Following the show’s halt of comments about host Jimmy Kimmel’s death, Disney says, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” I’ll be back in the air on Tuesday, September 23rd.
Howard Stern protects Jimmy Kimmel after ABC suspension
Radio host Howard Stern spoke about Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC suspension, recalling his own censorship fight.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” less than a week later, he returned to television after the Walt Disney Company announced that it had pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show into the air due to controversial comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.
“Last Wednesday, we decided to suspend production of the show to avoid further inflammatory tension in our country’s emotional moments,” Disney issued a statement to USA Today on Monday, September 22nd. “This is a decision we made because some of the comments felt badly timed and therefore insensitive. We spent our last day having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
Walt Disney-owned ABC said on September 17th that it will suspend the broadcast of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely. After late-night host comments about Kirk’s murder were fired from the head of the Federal Communications Commission.
Kimmel has not commented publicly since the show stopped. USA Today reached out to Kimmel representatives and ABC for further comment.
What did Jimmy Kimmel say?
On Monday in his monologue on September 15th, Kimmel commented:
Since then, Utah prosecutors have been charged with 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with worsening murder, felony discharge of firearms, obstructing justice, and tampering with eyewitnesses. His exact motive remains unknown, and according to court documents, Robinson’s mother told police that over the past year or so, “it began to lean more left.”
FCC chair Brendan Kerr appeared to have threatened ABC, Disney and Kimmel over a monologue about his late-night host Kirk on a YouTube episode of Comenny Johnson’s show on September 17th.
“This is a very serious problem for Disney right now. We can do this in an easy or difficult way,” Kerr said.
Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Causes Anger and Celebration
Kimmel’s late-night show halt caused widespread outrage among Kimmel’s famous friends and supporters, from David Letterman to former President Barack Obama. Free speech advocates have expressed concern over the first amendment rights after the suspension and the cancellation of the July “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (the final show scheduled for May 2026).
Kimmel critics, including President Trump, were often criticized on shows, but were celebrating the recent removal of hosts from the airwaves.
“American great news: The reviews to challenge the Jimmy Kimmel Shaw will be cancelled,” Trump wrote in his Truth and Social Explanation on September 18th.
Reaction to Jimmy Kimmel’s Return
Carr’s FCC colleague Anna M. Gomez, the only Democrat on the committee and an outspoken critic of Kimmel’s suspension, celebrated the ABC’s decision to bring back the hosts.
“I’m happy to see Disney find its courage in the face of clear government threats,” Gomez said in a statement to CNN. This was thanks to the Americans, “from the whole spectrum of ideology that spoke loudly and bravely for this blatant attempt to silence freedom of speech.”
Prominent Trump critic California Governor Gavin Newsom thanked “everyone except @brendancarrfcc” on his X account. “This is a victory for free speech everywhere,” Newsom wrote.
Jimmy Kimmel Return Date
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Disney’s statement said it will return on Tuesday, September 23rd.
However, in a statement to USA Today on Monday, September 22nd, a representative from Sinclair said, “From Tuesday night, Sinclair will be “Jimmy Kimmel Live!
It is still unknown if Nexstar will do the same thing.
Contributors: Anthony Robredo, Brendan Moreau, USA Today
