ABC is taking Jimmy Kimmel off the air after the late night host claimed on Monday that “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.”
Wall Street Journal media reporter Joe Flint tweeted late Wednesday night, “BREAKNG: Disney's ABC is pulling Jimmy Kimmel indefinitely after late night host's recent remarks about Charlie Kirk. Move comes as ABC affiliate groups told network they would be dropping the host.”
That could be a reference to a press release from Nexstar which said, “the company’s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show. Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
Variety also confirmed the news.
Earlier on Wednesday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr addressed Kimmel’s remarks with Benny Johnson, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take actions on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter adds:
A source tells The Hollywood Reporter Kimmel was prepared to address the backlash on Wednesday night’s show. He planned to explain what he said and demonstrate how it was taken out of context.
When asked by THR, the source said that Kimmel was not planning on apologizing. He felt that what he said did not require an apology.
According to a YouGov poll, 33 percent of Democrats believe Kirk was murdered by a right-winger compared to only 10 percent who believe he was murdered by a left-winger. Even if one were to grant Kimmel's claim that he was taken out of context, the fact that Kimmel did not provide the background for why conservatives were trying to prove the shooter wasn't "one of them" is journalistic malpractice of the highest order and, yes, journalism standards apply to comedy shows too.
Kimmel’s hyper-partisanship being his downfall is poetic. Over the past two years, Media Research Center studies have found Kimmel to be the most partisan of the late night hosts. 2025 now appears to have claimed three late night shows. First, CBS’s After Midnight’s Taylor Tomlinson called it quits, then CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be ending next year, and now Kimmel is a likely third.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
