Advertisement
Jimmy Kimmel has landed in major controversy after comments he made about right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week. While ABC has suspended the late-night host, several of the network’s affiliates are saying the punishment is not nearly enough.
On the September 15 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the 57-year-old comedian opened with a sharp rant aimed at Donald Trump and MAGA supporters. He accused them of twisting the narrative around Kirk’s killing to score political points. Kimmel joked about Trump’s bizarre responses to the tragedy, mocking the president for talking about White House ballroom renovations instead of properly addressing his ally’s death. “He’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction,” Kimmel quipped, before adding, “This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
The jokes quickly drew outrage. Kirk, just 31, had been answering questions about gun violence at a Utah Valley University Republican rally on September 10 when he was shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who had been hiding on a campus rooftop. Robinson was later arrested and charged with Kirk’s murder.
Following the broadcast, ABC abruptly suspended production of Kimmel’s show, calling the comments inappropriate. Nexstar Media Group, the country’s largest owner of TV stations, announced it would no longer air Jimmy Kimmel Live! in its ABC-affiliated markets. Nexstar president Andrew Alford said Kimmel’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
Donald Trump, who has long feuded with Kimmel, wasted no time celebrating. On Truth Social he cheered ABC’s move: “Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He then went on to call Kimmel “ZERO talent” with “worse ratings than Colbert,” before urging NBC to drop Seth Meyers as well.
But the backlash didn’t stop there. Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest ABC affiliate owner, issued its own statement saying ABC’s suspension wasn’t strong enough. Sinclair announced it would indefinitely pull Kimmel’s show from its stations until more concrete action is taken. Instead, they plan to air a tribute segment in Kirk’s memory across their networks this weekend.
Jason Smith, Sinclair’s vice president, said, “Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country. Broadcasters have a responsibility to encourage respectful dialogue.” He also pushed for the FCC to take regulatory action over how much control national networks have over local broadcasters.
Sinclair went even further, laying out strict demands. They want Kimmel to deliver a direct public apology to Kirk’s surviving family and to make a “meaningful personal donation” to both the Kirk family and Turning Point USA, the conservative organization Kirk founded. Until those conditions are met, Sinclair says Jimmy Kimmel Live! will not return to their stations.
The situation leaves ABC in a difficult position. Kimmel, who has often clashed with Trump and his allies, is now caught in the middle of a political firestorm that has escalated far beyond his usual late-night comedy sparring.