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Calls to boycott ABC and Disney are trending online and celebrities, politicians and more took to social media to weigh in on the news that Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s show has been suspended indefinitely. While many celebrities are voicing their outrage, some power players are giving a nod of approval.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, it was announced<\/a> that Nexstar, the largest TV station owner in the U.S., would not air \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d on its ABC affiliate stations for the \u201cforeseeable future\u201d following remarks the comedian made on his late night talk show regarding the killing of Charlie Kirk.<\/p>\n The swift action by the network, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, was announced hours after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, said that Kimmel\u2019s comments were a \u201cserious issue right now for Disney.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can do this the easy way or the hard way,\u201d he continued. \u201cThese companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n In his opening monologue on Monday evening, Kimmel said: \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n His remarks were aimed at the political response to Kirk\u2019s death\u2014Kimmel\u2019s immediate statement following the killing of Kirk expressed sympathy for the political activist\u2019s family.<\/p>\n Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel.com)<\/a> 2025-09-10T21:10:34.037Z<\/a><\/p>\n Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year. In July, it was announced that CBS was cancelling<\/a> \u201cThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert.\u201d Many criticized the move and suggested the decision was politically motivated following Paramount, the parent company for CBS, reaching a settlement with President Donald Trump over a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite the show being set to end in 2026, on Sunday, Colbert and his team won the Emmy Award<\/a> for Outstanding Talk Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t right,\u201d said actor\u00a0Ben Stiller<\/a> in a quote post on X from Wall Street Journal reporter Joe Flint, posting the news of \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d getting pulled.\u00a0MSNBC host Chris Hayes also quoted<\/a> the post and added, \u201cThis is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I\u2019ve ever seen in my life and it\u2019s not even close.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m canceling my @disneyplus subscription \u2018indefinitely,\u2019\u201d said \u201cSupernatural\u201d actor Misha Collins.<\/a><\/p>\n However, there were also expressions of support for sidelining Kimmel.<\/p>\n \u201cJust think for a minute about the amount of IRATE mail\/viewer feedback they must have gotten to do this,\u201d said former Fox News host\u00a0Megyn Kelly<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n A comment of approval also came from former \u201cReal Housewives of Orange County\u201d star Kelly Dodd, who responded to the news in an Instagram comment, \u201cGood JOB ABC !!! BRAVO SHOULD TAKE NOTES.\u201d<\/p>\n U.S. Senator Ted Cruz also weighed in,<\/a> suggesting Kimmel was lying about the accused killer, Tyler Robinson\u2019s, political affiliation. Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis echoed <\/a>Cruz and called the move a \u201crare example of accountability in legacy media.\u201d<\/p>\n But most reactions on social media Wednesday, particularly from those in the entertainment industry, were sharply critical.<\/p>\n \u201cOne Tree Hill\u201d star Sophia Bush<\/a> didn\u2019t mince words, posting her disapproval: \u201cThe First Amendment doesn\u2019t exist in America anymore. Period. Fascism is here and it\u2019s chilling.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam Conover<\/a> from \u201cAdam Ruins Everything,\u201d shared his thoughts in a post with a screenshot of the news of ABC yanking Kimmel\u2019s show: \u201ctell me which side is anti-comedy and anti-free speech again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much,\u201d said comedian Alex Edelman<\/a>. \u201c . . . That\u2019s censorship I can\u2019t find anywhere else in the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBuying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren\u2019t coincidences. It\u2019s coordinated. And it\u2019s dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time,\u201d California Governor Gavin Newsom<\/a> shared on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cKimmel. Colbert. Suits against the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and 60 Minutes. Extorting settlements from CBS, ABC, and others. Blocking the AP\u2019s access to the White House. This administration is responsible for the most blatant attacks on the free press in American history. What will be left of the First Amendment when he\u2019s done?\u201d California U.S. Senator Adam Schiff<\/a> shared.<\/p>\n Jamie Lee Curtis shared a quote<\/a> from Kimmel himself following the news: \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone should be canceled, I really don\u2019t,\u201d the quote read.<\/p>\n FCC Chairman Carr issued a statement<\/a> saying, \u201cI want to thank Nexstar for doing the right thing. Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values. I hope that other broadcasters follow Nexstar\u2019s lead.\u201d<\/p>\n Brian Stelter, Chief Media Analyst at celebrity.land, posted on X<\/a> that when he reached out to Carr for comment, he replied with a gif of characters from the show \u201cThe Office\u201d dancing in celebration.<\/p>\n In August, it was announced that Nexstar Media Group would acquire broadcasting rival Tegna for $6.2 billion, pending approval from the FCC and DOJ.<\/p>\n