ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and his show will return Tuesday
ABC Reinstates Jimmy Kimmel After Backlash Over Suspension
ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel will return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after being suspended for comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10. “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” the network said.
Kimmel sparked controversy when he said, “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and accused “the MAGA gang” of trying to distance themselves from the killer. His remarks prompted ABC affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair to pull his show, while President Donald Trump called the suspension “great news for America” and urged other late-night hosts to be fired.
The FCC’s Brendan Carr also warned networks about Kimmel’s comments: “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Despite the backlash, more than 430 Hollywood stars—including Robert De Niro, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep—signed an open letter through the ACLU calling the suspension “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.” The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg also defended Kimmel, declaring: “No one silences us.”
Kimmel, who has hosted his late-night show since 2003, expressed earlier this year that comedians must remain unafraid despite political pressure: “Well, you’d have to be naive not to worry a little bit. But that can’t change what you’re doing.” His reinstatement highlights ongoing tensions between politics, media, and free expression in America.
