David Letterman denounced ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! following pressure from the Trump administration, saying, “This is misery,” during a panel at the Atlantic Festival on Thursday, Sept. 18 (via Variety).
“We see where this is all going, correct?” Letterman said. “It’s managed media. And it’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. And you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
More from Rolling Stone
He added, “The institution of the president of the United States ought to be bigger than a guy doing a talk show.”
ABC abruptly pulled Kimmel on Wednesday following conservative outcry over a joke the host made during a recent monologue about the suspect accused of killing Charlie Kirk. Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, had called on licensed broadcasters to stop airing the show, and not long after Nexstar and Sinclair — two giant media conglomerates that own myriad ABC affiliates around the country — announced their decision to preempt his program. ABC made its decision to pull the show soon after.
But as Letterman noted, this kind of top-down pressure should be seen as a surprise, with the former Late Show host saying Kimmel’s removal “was predicted by our president right after Stephen Colbert got walked off.” He added, “So you’re telling me this isn’t premeditated at some level?”
Letterman was likely referring to a Trump post on Truth Social shared not long after CBS announced it was ending The Late Show. While the network insisted the decision was a financial one, many have speculated that CBS’s parent company, Paramount, axed the late-night institution as a way to appease Trump as it sought FCC approval for its merger with Skydance. (The deal ultimately went through.)
Trump denied being responsible for Colbert’s firing, insisting it was for a “pure lack of TALENT.” The president went on to say: “Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel, and then, a weak, and very insecure, Jimmy Fallon. The only real question is, who will go first? Show Biz and Television is a very simple business. If you get Ratings, you can say or do anything. If you don’t, you always become a victim. Colbert became a victim to himself, the other two will follow.”
Letterman went on to say that Kimmel had texted him Thursday morning, and he suggested the host was doing well. “He’s up in bed, taking nourishment,” Letterman said. “He’s going to be fine.”
Others who have spoken out against ABC’s decision to “indefinitely” pull Kimmel include Marc Maron, Jean Smart, and Mike Birbiglia. Wanda Sykes — who was set to appear on the show last night — said of Trump, “He didn’t end the Ukraine war, or solve Gaza, within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.”
Best of Rolling Stone
Sign up for RollingStone’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
