Jimmy Kimmel Live! staffers are worried about returning to the talk show’s studio due to “crazy stuff” being said online, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
Sources close to the situation tell Us that employees, who are in the dark about the show’s future, are also concerned about a potential return to the office.
The insider said Jimmy Kimmel was receiving a lot of hateful comments on his social media posts after ABC’s decision to pull the show off the air on Thursday, September 17. Sources tell Us that the employees are concerned for their safety and fear someone with bad intentions could come to the well-known studio on Hollywood Blvd, which is a big area for tourists.
Kimmel’s show was taken off the air indefinitely after the Federal Communications Commission Chair, Brendan Carr, complained publicly about comments the comedian made.
Kimmel, 57, spoke about political commentator Charlie Kirk’s death on his talk show on Monday, September 15. Kirk was shot and killed at age 31 while talking at a Utah university. Police arrested a suspect named Tyler Robinson.
“The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
During his monologue, Kimmel also showed a video of President Donald Trump being asked how he was holding up after Kirk’s death. Trump said “very good” and moved on to talking about his new White House ballroom. Kimmel said about the clip, “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.”
Carr, 46, put public pressure on ABC and Disney to take action against Kimmel.
Kimmel made his first remarks on Kirk’s death on social media. On September 10, the day Kirk was murdered, the comedian wrote, “Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?”
Kimmel added, “On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.
As Us first reported, Kimmel’s talk show staffers are unsure of the future of the show. A source close to production told Us that the staff was initially told the show would be off the air for the remainder of the week. The employees are confused after seeing the news reports that the show is suspended indefinitely.
ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel’s show led to strong reactions online.
California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote, “There is no such thing as free speech under Donald Trump’s reign.”
“This isn’t right,” actor Ben Stiller wrote on X. Actress Jean Smart posted a photo of Kimmel on social media explaining she was “horrified” by ABC’s decision. “What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda.”
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists spoke out about the decision.
“SAG-AFTRA condemns the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on,” she said. “Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms.”
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy addressed the talk show’s suspension. “With Kimmel getting canned I’m seeing lots of people talking about the hypocrisy of cancel culture. To me Cancel culture is when people go out of their way to dig up old tweets, videos etc looking for dirt on somebody they don’t like in an effort to get them fired,” he said”
“Like if Kimmel got canceled for shit he did on The Man Show that would be cancel culture. But when a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it that’s not cancel culture. That is consequences for your actions,” the Barstool Sports founder ended.