LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Protesters are planning to gather Thursday outside the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” studios to decry ABC’s indefinite suspension of the late-night talk show following the comedian’s comments on the shooting death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
A demonstration was planned for 4:30 p.m. Thursday outside the El Capitan Entertainment Center on Hollywood Boulevard, longtime home to the show whose future, at least for now, is in limbo.
The protest will come one day after Disney-owned ABC announced it was at least temporarily pulling the plug on production on its late-night staple, which has aired since 2004.
During Monday night’s show, Kimmel addressed the assassination of Kirk and the reaction to it, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with 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.”
An ABC spokesman confirmed the show’s suspension to multiple trade publications. The action came shortly after Nexstar Media Group issued a statement saying television stations it owns would not air the show in response to Kimmel’s remarks.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said in a statement.
“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
Thursday’s protest in Los Angeles was being organized by the group RefuseFascism.org, which said in a statement Wednesday night, “If Jimmy Kimmel can’t speak truth to power, then who can?”
“We say this must stop and Jimmy must be restored,” the group’s statement added. “And we call on everybody: come to protest this blatant Fascist crackdown Thursday, Sept. 18th at 4:30 pm when the Jimmy Kimmel show SHOULD be taping.”
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr had lashed out at Kimmel on Wednesday, suggesting the agency would consider taking action against ABC affiliates that continued to air Kimmel’s show. Carr, appearing on a podcast, said affiliates should refuse to air Kimmel due to “the possibility of license revocation from the FCC.”
Sinclair, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate group, said its stations will air a special about Kirk’s life during Kimmel’s time slot this Friday. ABC’s Los Angeles affiliate — ABC7 — is not owned by Sinclair.
Sinclair added that it would not lift the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its stations until “formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.”
The company also called upon Kimmel “to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”
It was not clear what would happen with Kimmel’s time slot in the immediate future. While no return date has been set, Disney is monitoring the situation and sees a path to the show potentially returning in the next several days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the situation.
Disney did not immediately reply to a request for comment Wednesday evening.
There was no immediate response from Kimmel, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump.
Both major Hollywood unions issued statements condemning the move.
“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,” the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists 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.”
The Writers Guild of America West and East also weighed in.
“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other — to disturb, even — is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice,” the WGA said.
“As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to — painful as it may be at times — is the freeing agreement to disagree.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom, another vocal Trump and Republican party critic, took to X to react to the news, writing, “Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.”
Meanwhile, Trump hailed ABC’s move on his Truth Social site, writing “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. Kimmel has zero talent and worse ratings than even (Stephen) Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth (Meyers), two total losers, on fake news NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged Tuesday with murder, and prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
Recent Comments