ABC stunned audiences on Wednesday when it pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air indefinitely, citing pressure from federal regulators after his monologue on the shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The decision immediately set off debates about censorship, and late-night comedians didn’t waste time weighing in.
Kirk, known for his combative style and MAGA-driven takes, was killed on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The tragedy drew national attention, and Kimmel addressed the fallout during his Sept. 15 show.
“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,” he said. By Monday, Kimmel was off the air.
Fallon reacts with confusion
On The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon opened with disbelief. “Well, guys, the big story is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking, ‘WTF?’” he told his audience.
Fallon joked about waking up to texts from his dad saying his show was canceled. But he turned serious, adding, “I don’t know what’s going on, and no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny, and loving guy, and I hope he comes back.”
Colbert calls it censorship
Stephen Colbert, whose show was recently canceled by CBS, devoted much of his opening monologue on The Late Show to blasting the move. “Yesterday, after threats from Trump’s FCC chair, ABC yanked Kimmel off the air indefinitely. That is blatant censorship,” he said.
“Tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel,” Colbert said. “If ABC thinks this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive.”
Colbert then mocked FCC commissioner Brendan Carr, who had called Kimmel’s remarks “the sickest conduct possible.” After playing the actual Kimmel clip, Colbert shook his head. “Really? That’s what got him pulled? That’s like Playboy promising a racy new centerfold and then it’s just Jimmy Kimmel.”
Colbert went further, saying the threats to networks were chilling. “The chairman of the FCC sounds like he’s telling them to punish Kimmel or else. Shutting down this type of speech represents a serious threat to our freedoms.”
Meyers says it’s a bigger fight
Seth Meyers used “A Closer Look” to place Kimmel’s suspension in a wider context. “Trump promised to end government censorship and bring back free speech, and he’s doing the opposite,” Meyers said.
He warned that the U.S. is beginning to resemble countries like Hungary and Turkey, where leaders pressure media outlets into silence. “This is a pivotal moment for democracy,” he told viewers, “and we must all stand up for the principles of free expression.”
Jon Stewart leans on satire
Jon Stewart decided to host a special Thursday edition of The Daily Show, where he framed the moment with heavy sarcasm. “Welcome to the all-new, government-approved Daily Show,” he joked. Stewart ridiculed Trump’s overseas trip and segued into Kimmel’s suspension, mocking the administration’s obsession with controlling the media.
“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else. And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Stewart deadpanned.
He closed the segment by lampooning the idea that free speech only applies to those in power. “Anytime Hungary is in the news, comedy writers cheer, but this crackdown is no joke. We’re sliding into authoritarianism faster than anyone thought.”
Letterman weighs in, too
Even David Letterman, no longer behind a late-night desk, spoke up. At The Atlantic Festival on Sept. 18, he called the situation “a misery”. He warns, “In the world of somebody who is an authoritarian, maybe a dictatorship, sooner or later, everyone is going to be touched.”
“We all see where this is going, correct?” he continued. “You can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian — a criminal — administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
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