Sal Iacono, Jimmy Kimmel’s cousin and a long-time writer and performer on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” suggested Sunday that the show may not be coming back on the air after ABC indefinitely suspended the program last week.
On an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” late Sunday night, Iacono said he was reluctant to talk about the future of the show out of respect for the staff whose jobs are on the line. But he said significant news could come out this week, and he believed Kimmel will land on his feet no matter what the outcome is.
“I wish I could say anything. There are a couple bombshells still there,” Iacono said. “I’m feeling good. We’re going to be all right. Everything’s going to be just fine.”
Bill Simmons, who worked as a writer on the show two decades ago, agreed that Kimmel would find a platform if the show ended.
“He’ll be fine, whatever he wants to do,” Simmons said. “Hey listen, he might just want to be a pop-up chef and start making barbecue around the South Bay area. He’ll do a great job.”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was abruptly and indefinitely taken off the air on Wednesday last week after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr and networks of affiliate stations threatened ABC over comments Kimmel made in a monologue about the MAGA movement’s response to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The show’s staff will continue to be paid for the time being, as discussions continue between Kimmel and executives at Disney, ABC’s parent company, over the show’s future.
Iacono called the past week “tumultuous,” so he said Kimmel and his family got together over the weekend. Iacono recalled that most of the family avoided discussing the elephant in the room, but his son was the first to broach the subject.
“My kids, I think they felt weird approaching him at first. And my middle guy, Jack, who is a junior in high school, breaks the ice and says in his deadpan way, says, ‘Hey, some kids at school say it’s not right what happened to you,’” Iacono recounted.
“And so Jimmy says, ‘Well, what did you say?’” Iacono said. “He’s like, ‘I said, “Yeah, I think you’re right.”’”
“And Jimmy’s like, ‘Well, next time tell them, “I’m not too worried about what happens; my cousin Jimmy is an excellent dancer.”’”
Iacono acknowledged that he held more information about the show’s suspension and its future than he was able to reveal, but he was unwilling to say any more on Sunday.
“That’s all I have to say right now. I can’t really say anything,” Iacono said. “You and I know too much. It’s very emotional.”
Simmons agreed that it was a topic of conversation best laid to rest.
”We both know too much,” Simmons said. “Not only our cousin, but all the people working for the show, and, it’s better if we’re not talking about this in any way.”
“When I can, I will,” Iacono said.
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