The suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ from the network has elicited a strong reaction from the public. Netizens, as well as fellow TV show hosts and celebrities, have rallied against the decision and made their opinions known. In a recent turn of events, an open letter has been organised by the American Civil Liberties Union condemning the matter at hand and calling the authorities out for the unfair treatment.
400 Celebrities sign letter condemning removal of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
According to the official website of the ACLU, more than 400 celebrities from across the Hollywood family have come forward to extend their support with Kimmel. Many big names have officially signed the letter. Big names such as Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jennifer Aniston, Robert De Niro, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Bateman, Selena Gomez, Olivia Rodrigo, and Martin Short have signed the letter, along with many others. This makes for a historic solidarity movement in the industry. According to Variety, the director of the ACLU, Anthony D. Romero, who is also the name behind organizing the letter in the first place, issued a statement. He shared, “We now find ourselves in a modern McCarthy era, facing exactly the type of heavy-handed government censorship our Constitution rightfully forbids. The silencing of Jimmy Kimmel and jawboning of media outlets through lawsuits and threats to their licenses evokes dark memories of the 1950s”.He added that just as McCarthy was “neutralized” at the time when the people rallied against him, the public needs to do the same. “We must do the same today because, together, our voices are louder and, together, we will fight to be heard”, he concluded.
What does the letter say?
The official letter calls out the production house for removing Jimmy Kimmel’s show over his statement about slain activist Charlie Kirk, and how it specifically targeted their fundamental right of free speech. It also talked about the pressures that public figures such as artists, journalists, and other celebrities face when they try to express their opinion and take a stand. This action directly goes against their right to free speech, as many face retaliation from authorities, citing Kimmel’s show’s removal as one of the set examples. A paragraph from the official letter reads, “We know this moment is bigger than us and our industry. Teachers, government employees, law firms, researchers, universities, students, and so many more are also facing direct attacks on their freedom of expression.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source timesofindia.indiatimes.com ’
