Here’s How Celebrities And Politicians Are Reacting To Jimmy Kimmel’s Show Being Pulled Over Charlie Kirk Comments
From former president Barack Obama and Jamie Lee Curtis to Rosie O’Donnell and Gavin Newsom — everybody’s ten toes down for Jimmy.
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Disney’s ABC decided to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the network “indefinitely” after the host made comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Celebrities, media personalities, and politicians everywhere are criticizing ABC’s decision to remove Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Here’s what they’re saying:
1. Wanda Sykes, who was set to be an upcoming guest on the show, posted on Instagram, criticizing Donald Trump’s administration. “Let’s see. He didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week,” Wanda said. “But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.”
2. Wanda’s IG post received comments from Rosie O’Donnell, who wrote “SHAME ON ABC AND THE FCC #FDT,” an acronym made famous by the 2016 YG song.
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3. Erika Alexander responded to Wanda’s video, simply writing, “This is a damn shame.”
4. Ben Stiller replied to the Wall Street Journal reporter Joe Flint’s X post about the news, writing, “This isn’t right.”
5. Jean Smart shared a photo with Jimmy on Instagram alongside a caption expressing her frustration with the news. “I am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live,” she wrote. “What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda. Though I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”
6. Jamie Lee Curtis shared an Instagram story linking to a 2015 Rolling Stone interview where Jimmy discussed Trump, patriotism, and cancel culture, saying, “I don’t think anybody should be canceled. I really don’t.”
7. Josh Gad called out ABC’s parent company on Threads, writing, “Disney… this ain’t it.”
8. Henry Winkler gave Jimmy his flowers on X, writing, “@jimmykimmel his humor, his insights are important to keep showing us who we are . AND he is a most wonderful fellow.”
9. Kathy Griffin encouraged people on Instagram to “take it from me, it is important to have Jimmy Kimmel’s back right now. Be vocal. Be an ideological consumer. Money is all their crowd cares about.”
10. Marc Maron shared a video on Instagram airing his grievances with the current administration alongside the caption, “It’s time to act. Organize, speak out, be peaceful, be urgent. It’s happening very fast.”
11. Comedian Paul Scheer wrote on Threads, “So let me get this straight. Kimmel is off the air for his commments about the politicization of an assasination but this is totally fine,” referring to Fox and Friends’ Brian Kilmeade suggesting “involuntary lethal injection, or something” for homeless people on live TV.
12. Actor and writer Adam Conover said, “tell me which side is anti-comedy and anti-free speech again.”
13. Comedian and writer Alex Edelman wrote in response to Deadline’s reports about Nexstar and Sinclair, two of the largest station groups, and their influence on Kimmel being canceled. “This is the acutal cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much,” he said.
14. Comedian Mike Birbiglia shared a note on Instagram calling all comedians, which read, “I’ve spent a lot of time in public and private defending comedians I don’t agree with. If you’re a comedian and you don’t call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air — don’t bother spouting off about free speech anymore.”
15. Rapper Plies shared on X, “They’ve Made Jimmy Kimmel Words More Offensive Than The Guy Who Went Around Being Controversial. This Is The Same Thing They Did To Colin Kaepernick. They Made His Protest Be About What They Wanted It To Be About! They’ve Mastered Being The Victim & Villainizing Everyone Else!”
Several celebrities responded to an Instagram post shared by Variety.
16. Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka was shocked, simply writing, “WHAT.”
17. RuPaul Drag Race’s Nicky Doll said, “Freedom of speech? And a repsectful one too? WE NEED TO WAKE UP YALL!!!!! This isn’t RUSSIA!”
18. Pretty Little Liars alum Sasha Pieterse expressed her disgust with an emoji.
19. Actor and author Mayim Bialik wrote, “NOT GOOD.”
20. Comedian Margaret Cho said, “What the actual f.”
21. Reality TV personality Colton Underwood wrote, “This can’t be coming from the the party that made its entire identity free speech and no more cancel culture…”
22. Actor Lukas Gage responded to the news, writing, “Grow up.”
23. Former CNN broadcast journalist Jim Acosta said Jimmy Kimmel is a “class act” and shared how the late-night host stood up for him. “He very thoughtfully asked whether I was receiving adequate security at that time, as Trump was repeatedly smearing journalists as “the enemy of the people,” comments that resulted in threats aimed at many of us in the White House Press Corps. I’ll never forget that moment of kindness from Jimmy. It spoke volumes. Make no mistake, our right to free speech is under attack in this country. This right must be defended as it is essential to the American way of life.”
24. Don Lemon shared on Threads, “This should send a chill down everyone’s spine in America,” alongside a video explaining that he didn’t believe Jimmy’s comments were controversial.
25. MSNBC commentator Chris Hayes said,” This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.”
26. Internet personality Hasan Piker replied to CNN correspondent Brian Stelter’s post on the situation, writing, “EVERY CORPORATION IS INSTANTLY FOLDING TO THE ADMIN EVEN WHEN ITS OVER AN UTTERLY INNOFFENSIVE JOKE THE ADMIN DOESNT LIKE! LIBERALS NEED TO WAKE UP!!!! WE ALL HAVE TO FIGHT BACK, THESE WEALTHY ASSHOLES ARENT GOING TO STAND UP FOR ANYTHING BEYOND THEIR BOTTOM LINE!”
27. Former president Barack Obama slammed the Trump administration on X. “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” he wrote.
28. California Governor Gavin Newsom shared a post on X, listing his grievances with the GOP. “Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences,” he wrote. “It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.”
29. Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett called out the hypocrisy on X. “Kimmel hurts MAGA’S feelings by holding a mirror up & so the first amendment is out the window and his show is pulled… who is going to tell them that, that is the definition of being a snowflake… as well as supporting anti-democratic ideals? (Not patriotic at all),” she wrote. “I’m waiting on y’all soft asses to cancel rainbows.”
30. New Jersey Rep. Cory Booker shared the 1st Amendment in response to the news. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abrdiging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
31. Former US representative Adam Kinzinger wrote on X, “Can the actors guild and writers union refuse to produce content for @ABCNetwork and Disney until they commit to first amendment?”
32. Sen. Elizabeth Warren took to her X account, expressing that “First [Stephen] Colbert, now Kimmel,” were facing consequences of the current administration. “Trump silencing free speech stifles our democracy. It sure looks like giant media companies are enabling his authoritarianism.”
33. Sen. Adam Schiff shared a post on X, writing, “Kimmel. Colbert. Suits against the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and 60 Minutes. Extorting settlements from CBS, ABC, and others. Blocking the AP’s access to the White house. This administration is responsible for the most blatant attacks on the free press in American history. What will be left of the First Amendment when he’s done?”
34. CNN’s Jake Tapper urged people to “follow the money” to understand the business pressure caused by the current administration that could potentially explain why ABC decided to “indefinitely” pull Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show.
As more celebrities, politicians, and notable figures continue to speak out in support of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, we’ll keep you updated. Check back here for any new additions.
What are your thoughts about everyone’s reaction to the news?