Disney’s unprecedented move to indefinitely pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the airwaves has the late-night world, and the country, in shock.
Deadline understands that ABC pulled the show from the air after Kimmel told them he would address his previous comments around Charlie Kirk.
It’s a move that may fundamentally impact broadcast television and has led to questions as to whether Kimmel will ever return to late-night.
Kimmel films his show from the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles so the move came before he started shooting what would have been today’s show, although there were thought to be some audience members waiting outside.
All of this emerged after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said that Kimmel’s comments were “some of the sickest conduct possible” and alluded to “avenues” for the FCC to investigate.
But listen again to Kimmel’s words (below).
On Monday, Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”
It’s nuanced, for sure, but it’s unclear what Kimmel said that was inflammatory. Kimmel was expected to unpack the nuance of the statement on the show tonight, highlighting that he was not saying that Tyler Robinson, who allegedly shot Kirk, was “one of them”, referring to Republicans, or MAGA supporters, but was highlighting how right-wing supporters were trying to distance themselves from the alleged shooter, who was charged with aggravated murder earlier this week.
Disney made this move nine months after reaching a settlement with President Trump after he brought a defamation case against it with many suggesting that the Mouse House capitulated to the then-President elect.
The company agreed to donate $15M to Trump’s future Presidential foundation and museum and another $1M in legal fees after ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos said that Trump had been found “liable for rape”, where he had only been found liable for sexual abuse.
It also comes after CBS axed The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, days after he accused his own parent company Paramount’s $16M lawsuit settlement a “big fat bribe”.
Colbert will not address the Kimmel situation on The Late Show tonight, because he filmed his show before this happened, but he is expected to address it tomorrow night (and Colbert, unlike Kimmel is not a social media guy so don’t expect any Instagram comments).
Where does this leave Jimmy Kimmel? In shock, along with the rest of the media business and proponents of free speech.
Kimmel has considered leaving late-night for some time and is currently contracted through to 2026 season.
But this will likely influence any plans Kimmel had to sign a new contract. Kimmel has been on ABC since January 2003 and has been a good company soldier, presenting multiple shows on the network including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, which he recently won an Emmy for, as well as landmark live shows such as The Oscars. He also turns up every year to the company’s Upfronts events and other Disney shindigs, so it will be interesting to see whether he has any appetite to return to the network.