Disney’s ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! off air after remarks about Charlie Kirk

LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON – Walt Disney-owned ABC said on Sept 17 that it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003 to present) off the air, after remarks by the late-night American talk show’s host about

Mr Charlie Kirk’s assassination

triggered a threat by the head of the top US communications regulator against Disney.

US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly pressured broadcasters to stop airing content he has found objectionable and called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pull licences from stations, celebrated the news in a social media post.

A number of Democratic lawmakers assailed the decision, saying free speech was under attack.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson said, without elaborating.

Mr Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”

He also called on Comcast-owned NBC to fire Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, the hosts of late-night comedy shows on the network who often make jokes at Mr Trump’s expense.

Kimmel, 57, made remarks late on Sept 15 about the fatal Sept 10 shooting of Mr Kirk, a 31-year-old American right-wing political activist and media personality, at a Utah university.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the Maga gang desperately trying to characterise 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 on his Monday night show, referring to 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, who has been charged with aggravated murder.

The American television personality and comedian also criticised Mr Trump’s mourning of Mr Kirk, pointing to a video of Mr Trump’s comments on the White House lawn. “This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Sept 17.

Mr Trump has frequently credited Mr Kirk for driving more young voters and voters of colour in support of his successful 2024 presidential campaign. At the age of 18, Mr Kirk was a co-founder of Turning Point USA, an organisation dedicated to advancing conservative causes on college campuses and among young voters.

ABC made its announcement after Nexstar Media Group said it would stop airing the show on its 32 ABC affiliates, citing Kimmel’s comments.

Mr Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division: “Mr Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”

FCC chair says it is a “very, very serious issue for Disney”

Earlier on Sept 17, FCC chair Brendan Carr had urged local broadcasters to stop airing the show on ABC. He suggested the commission could open an investigation and that broadcasters could potentially be fined or lose their licences if there was a pattern of distorted comment.

“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Mr Carr said in a podcast interview with conservative political commentator Benny Johnson that aired on Sept 17.

“Disney needs to see some change here, but the individual licensed stations that are taking their content, it’s time for them to step up and say this, you know, garbage to the extent that that’s what comes down the pipe in the future isn’t something that we think serves the needs of our local communities.”

Mr Carr praised Nexstar. “While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values,” he said.

Nexstar, which describes itself as the nation’s largest local television and media company, needs FCC approval for its US$6.2 billion (S$8 billion) deal to acquire smaller rival Tegna.

FCC commissioner Anna Gomez, its only Democratic commissioner, criticised Mr Carr. “This administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression,” she said.

Democratic lawmakers also criticised the move.

Senator Ed Markey said in a post on social media platform X: “This is censorship in action. FCC chair threatens ABC and Disney over Kimmel’s comments. Hours later, he’s off the air.”

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii also weighed in on X with similar comments. Mr Pritzker called it “an attack on free speech”, while Mr Schatz said “this was the (government) using regulatory leverage to crush speech”.

Trump has repeatedly sued and threatened media companies

Mr Trump has repeatedly sued, berated and threatened media companies whose coverage he disputes, with legal or other action.

This week, he filed a US$15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and book publisher Penguin Random House, accusing them of treating him unfairly.

“Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel,” Mr Trump said after the July cancellation of CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (2015 to present), a frequent platform for anti-Trump satire.

CBS parent Paramount paid US$16 million in July to resolve a civil suit over what Mr Trump alleged was the network’s deceptive editing of an interview with presidential candidate Kamala Harris. This came after ABC in December 2024 paid US$15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Mr Trump over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ on-air description of the President’s conduct in the E. Jean Carroll case.

At the time, Paramount was seeking the FCC’s approval for a merger with Skydance Media, which was ultimately granted, forming Paramount Skydance. The deal was approved after the Trump suit was settled and after the FCC under Mr Carr opened a probe into the Harris interview.

Viewership of late-night shows has been on the decline, as has much of traditional TV, as viewers shift to streaming and social media.

Jimmy Kimmel Live averaged 1.57 million viewers an episode during the broadcast season that ended in May, according to Nielsen. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was the most-watched late-night show during that time, with an average of 1.9 million viewers. REUTERS