By Kieran Kelly
Copyright independent
Disney pulled Kimmel’s late-night talk show on Wednesday before he could address the controversy, fearing it would inflame the situation further.
In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel had accused the “MAGA gang” of “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them”.
ABC, which is owned by Disney, said the show would be taken off air indefinitely, provoking a strong reaction on both sides of the political aisle.
US president Donald Trump reacted with glee, claiming Kimmel had “bad ratings” and suggesting that ABC “should have fired him a long time ago”.
Hollywood actors and Democrats have described the move as an attack on free speech, and have called for Kimmel to be reinstated.
Hours before the comedian was due to reappear on American television on Wednesday, Disney officials began to hear that employees were receiving threatening messages over Kimmel’s remarks, according to reports. When they saw what Kimmel planned to say that evening, they grew concerned the situation would only get worse.
By 4.30pm, he was taken off air.
On Thursday evening, Kimmel received a raft of support from his fellow late-night talk show hosts, and actors including Marisa Tomei and Tatiana Maslany have called on Americans to boycott Disney until Kimmel is reinstated. Both actors have had prominent roles in the Disney-owned Marvel universe.
A former FCC chairman labelled Brendan Carr as Trump’s ‘censor-in-chief’
On Thursday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Disney’s headquarters in California, as well as ABC studios in New York and Kimmel’s studio in Hollywood, calling for Kimmel to be reinstated.
Republicans have revelled in Kimmel’s downfall.
Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman of America’s TV regulator, warned that the comedian’s comments were a “very, very serious issue” for Disney.
The FCC chairman has long championed the importance of free speech, including in his chapter for the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, widely considered to be a blueprint for Mr Trump’s second term in office.
Democrats have called for Mr Carr’s resignation. Tom Wheeler, a former FCC chairman appointed by Barack Obama, labelled him as Mr Trump’s “censor-in-chief”.
Mr Carr has refused to back down, saying Disney must “find ways to change conduct and take action … or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC”.
“We’re going to continue to hold these broadcasters accountable to the public interest − and if broadcasters don’t like that simple solution, they can turn their licence in to the FCC,” he told Fox News.
