ABC yanks comedian Jimmy Kimmel off air over comment on Charlie Kirk’s assassination
American media company ABC has yanked late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel off air on Wednesday over the comments made by the comedian regarding the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” a spokesperson for the Disney-owned network said in a statement.
The decision came days after Mr Kimmel criticised the “Maga gang” for using the death of Mr Kirk to score political points during his show, amid blame-shifting between the right and left wings over the political affiliation of the suspect in the shooting, Tyler Robinson.
“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,” Mr Kimmel said during his monologue on Monday.
He added, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump was quick to celebrate the decision to pull Mr Kimmel off air, stating in a Truth Social post, “The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is cancelled. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”
However, many opposition figures have condemned the decision as multiple media reports suggested that the Federal Communications Commission pressured ABC to suspend Mr Kimmel.
“Trump and his cronies are using blatant government coercion to suppress speech they don’t like — a gross violation of the 1st Amendment. Shame on ABC for caving to political blackmail,” Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen posted on X. “We must stand with those who resist the bullies and call out those who appease them. NO KINGS.”
Senior Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren also posted on X, “First Colbert, now Kimmel. Last-minute settlements, secret side deals, multi-billion-dollar mergers pending Donald Trump’s approval. Trump silencing free speech stifles our democracy. It sure looks like giant media companies are enabling his authoritarianism.”
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