Jimmy Kimmel Live Suspended After Backlash Over Charlie Kirk Comments

ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely following controversial on-air comments the late-night host made about the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The move came after Nexstar Media Group — which operates 23 ABC-affiliated stations — announced it would stop airing the show, citing Kimmel’s remarks as “offensive and insensitive.”

Kimmel, who has hosted the show since 2003, addressed Kirk’s assassination during his monologues on Monday and Tuesday, accusing conservative figures of politicizing the incident. “Many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” he said.

The backlash was swift. Nexstar President Andrew Alford criticized the remarks, calling them inappropriate during a time of national mourning and heightened political tension. ABC pulled the show just hours before Wednesday’s taping, reportedly informing the live audience moments before they were set to enter the theater.

Political Pressure and FCC Scrutiny

The controversy escalated after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr condemned Kimmel’s comments, calling them “truly sick.” Carr accused the comedian of spreading misinformation by suggesting that Kirk’s killer was a Trump supporter — a claim that contradicts law enforcement reports.

Authorities say the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was raised in a conservative household but had recently adopted left-leaning political views and expressed support for LGBTQ+ rights. His voter registration status was inactive, and he reportedly told his transgender partner that he targeted Kirk because he had “had enough of his hatred.”

Carr warned that the FCC could take further action against ABC and its parent company, Disney, which is currently seeking regulatory approval for ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network. Nexstar is also awaiting government clearance for its $6.2 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna. The timing has raised concerns that political motivations may be influencing corporate and regulatory decisions.

Former President Donald Trump praised the network’s decision on Truth Social, writing, “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” Trump has frequently criticized Kimmel and other late-night hosts, many of whom have been outspoken in their opposition to him.

Comedy Under Fire

Throughout his career, Kimmel has used his platform to satirize and criticize right-wing politics, often targeting Trump directly. In his Monday monologue, he mocked the former president’s response to Kirk’s death, saying, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

Kimmel also aimed at Vice President JD Vance, who recently guest-hosted Kirk’s podcast, and criticized FBI official Kash Patel, saying he handled the investigation “like a kid who didn’t read the book, BS-ing his way through an oral report.”

Audience members outside the Hollywood theater on Wednesday were caught off guard. “We were just about to walk in — interestingly enough, they waited to pull the plug right as the studio audience was about to enter,” said Tommy Williams, a tourist from Florida. “They didn’t tell us what had happened. They just said the show was canceled.”

Free speech advocates have raised alarms over the suspension. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized what she described as government overreach, while Ari Cohn, lead counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, warned against allowing the government to dictate who stays on air. “We cannot be a country where late-night talk show hosts serve at the pleasure of the president,” he said.

With Kimmel’s contract running through May 2026, the future of the show remains uncertain. Whether this is a temporary suspension or a sign of deeper shifts in the relationship between politics and entertainment, one thing is clear: late-night television is once again at the center of America’s cultural and political divide.