The Producers Guild of America has joined a growing chorus of voices in condemnation of ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely over the late night host’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s shooter.
“Free speech is fundamental to our democracy. It is the lifeblood of our industry,” the PGA shared on Instagram on Thursday. “Late-night television has long been a space where satire and commentary contribute to our national dialogue. We believe that artistic expression is essential, and that critical voices must not be silenced. The Producers Guild of America condemns censorship, and stands with all who exercise their First Amendment rights.”
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During Monday’s edition of “JKL,” the comedian addressed Kirk’s assassination and told his viewers, “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.”
The ABC host additionally criticized President Trump’s response to a question about Kirk’s death, joking, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Kimmel’s comments provoked outrage from Trump’s supporters and members of the president’s administration. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to take action if nothing was done, which led to Nexstar pulling Kimmel off the air on its ABC affiliated stations. Sinclair, a station group known for its conservative political leanings, followed suit by announcing that it would also not carry “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its 30 ABC affiliates until further notice.
Disney, ABC’s parent company, then suspended Kimmel indefinitely. The move has been criticized heavily as an attack on free speech in America.
The PGA is the latest prominent entertainment industry union to condemn Kimmel’s suspension, joining the WGA, SAG-AFTRA and American Federation of Musicians, all of which released similar statements on Wednesday. A number of high-profile public figures and celebrities have decried the news as well, including Marc Maron, Patton Oswalt, Jean Smart and Barack Obama.
Trump, conversely, has outright celebrated the network’s decision. “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” the president wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. “Kimmel has ZERO talent.”
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