.jpeg)
ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! "indefinitely" following controversial comments made by Charlie Kirk regarding a recent shooting. The suspension comes after Nexstar, a major affiliate group, announced it would pull the show, and the chairman of the FCC hinted at potential action against the network.
Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show is being suspended by ABC following his viral comments about Charlie Kirk.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the network announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be "preempted indefinitely."
This move came right after Nexstar, a major owner of local TV stations—including 28 ABC affiliates—announced it would halt airing the show for the time being. Sources suggest ABC may have also received
The decision comes after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to take action against ABC affiliates following Kimmel's comments, in which he suggested the suspect in the Charlie Kirk shooting was a MAGA Republican during his monologue earlier this week.
A source tells The Hollywood Reporter that Kimmel was ready to address the controversy on Wednesday night's show. He intended to explain his remarks and clarify how they had been taken out of context.
When asked by THR, the source added that Kimmel had no plans to apologize, feeling that his comments did not warrant one.
Carr’s Statement (rewritten):
“I appreciate Nexstar for making the right call,” Carr told THR. “Local broadcasters have a duty to serve the public interest. While this may be an unusual step, it’s important for broadcasters to take a stand when Disney programming doesn’t align with community standards. I hope others in the industry will follow Nexstar’s example.”
Kimmel’s Original Comments (rewritten):
“Over the weekend, the MAGA crowd sank to new lows, scrambling to paint the young man who killed Charlie Kirk as anything but one of their own, all while trying to score political points from the tragedy.”
Do you want me to make these more neutral (like news reporting style) or keep them opinionated as in the original tone?
Nexstar, which primarily operates in small and midsize markets but also owns ABC affiliates in New Orleans and Salt Lake City, made its decision at a pivotal moment. The broadcaster is currently seeking FCC approval for its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, a deal that would make Nexstar the nation’s largest owner of local television stations. For the merger to proceed, the FCC would need to lift the current 40 percent ownership cap. It remains unclear whether Tegna—which owns 13 ABC affiliates, including in Austin and Sacramento—will follow Nexstar’s lead.
Late Wednesday, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of ABC affiliates (including the Washington, D.C. station), announced that it would air a tribute to Charlie Kirk during Kimmel’s Friday timeslot. Sinclair also demanded that Kimmel issue an apology to Kirk’s family, adding that it would not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! again “until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.”
Carr, who has frequently launched investigations into broadcasters over diversity and inclusion policies criticized by President Trump, has also pressed concerns about network content. An FCC probe into CBS’s 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, for example, remains open.
Appearing on Hannity Wednesday night after news of Kimmel’s suspension broke, Carr argued that late-night programming had strayed from its original mission. “Something has gone seriously wrong,” he said. “These shows used to deliver laugh lines; now they’re chasing applause lines. They went from being court jesters poking fun at those in power to acting like court clerics, enforcing a narrow political ideology.”
Carr praised Nexstar’s decision, framing it as a stand for community standards. “Nexstar said, ‘We hold the license, and we don’t want to run this anymore. We don’t think it serves our community.’ Sinclair took the same position,” he added. “There’s more work to be done, but I’m encouraged to see broadcasters standing up for their communities rather than simply serving progressive fare from New York and Hollywood.”