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LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 In a crowded late-night field, Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> rose to become a cultural fixture.<\/p>\n For two decades, Kimmel has been one of the most familiar faces on television. He’s the kind of entertainer who could blend slapstick humor with sharp political satire and still find himself entrusted with hosting Hollywood\u2019s most prestigious ceremonies. His career arc has been impressive, rising from radio gigs in Las Vegas to rubbing elbows with the likes of Meryl Streep<\/a> at the Oscars<\/a> and turning world leaders into punch lines on \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n In an industry that thrives on turnover, Kimmel’s staying power has been rare. He’s been the voice that helped anchor ABC in the late-night arena, until now with his show suspended indefinitely over his comments earlier this week about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/a> on Sept. 10.<\/p>\n What sparked the controversy<\/p>\n Just last week, Kimmel reminded audiences why he\u2019s long been one of the sharpest voices in late night. He won his fourth Primetime Emmy<\/a> for hosting \u201cWho Wants to Be a Millionaire?\u201d then used the moment to defend his friend Stephen Colbert,<\/a> whose \u201cLate Show\u201d was canceled in July<\/a> just days after criticizing the President Donald Trump\u2013Paramount Global settlement.<\/a> Kimmel cursed CBS from the stage and brushed off executives who called the cancellation \u201cfinancial.\u201d He told the crowd that he loved Colbert.<\/p>\n Kimmel, 57, didn\u2019t stop there. After the Creative Arts Emmy ceremony, he took aim at Donald Trump<\/a> directly, saying, \u201cI\u2019m giving this guy a little poke, and he deserves it, and I enjoy it, and I hope that people enjoy it too.\u201d<\/p>\n Days later, his bluntness collided with tragedy and politics. In a monologue following the assassination of Kirk, Kimmel quipped that \u201cmany in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.\u201d<\/p>\n The backlash was immediate. Nexstar and Sinclair,<\/a> two of ABC\u2019s largest affiliate owners, said they would be pulling \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d from their stations. Under mounting pressure, ABC \u2014 Kimmel’s late-night show home since 2003 \u2014 suspended the show indefinitely.<\/p>\n For a host such as Kimmel who has long walked the tightrope between comedy and controversy, this is the steepest challenge yet. He has not commented on the suspension.<\/p>\n Here’s what we know:<\/p>\n A start in radio, a break in comedy<\/p>\n Kimmel\u2019s story began in Las Vegas, where he honed his craft at small radio stations. The early grind was like a boot camp for bigger stages marked by unpaid internships, quirky promotions and on-the-fly lessons in timing and voice control.<\/p>\n His first big break came with Comedy Central\u2019s \u201cWin Ben Stein\u2019s Money.\u201d Kimmel\u2019s quick wit as Stein\u2019s sidekick earned him a daytime Emmy in 1999 and national attention. He followed that with \u201cThe Man Show,\u201d co-created with Adam Carolla, which gave him credibility as both a comic and a producer. Shows like \u201cCrank Yankers\u201d and \u201cThe Andy Milonakis Show\u201d soon followed with Kimmel\u2019s creative hand.<\/p>\n His rise: Why Kimmel became famous<\/p>\n The turning point was 2003. That\u2019s when ABC handed him his own late-night program, \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!.\u201d Over the years, he grew from a scrappy newcomer into a late-night staple. The show was anchored by viral sketches, celebrity pranks, political monologues and deeply personal stories.<\/p>\n Kimmel became more than a host. He was a cultural translator, using comedy to navigate moments of national crisis or collective joy, whether in his emotional monologues about health care after his son’s heart surgery or in his pointed critiques of Washington politics.<\/p>\n His trust factor grew, and Hollywood leaned on him to host major events. He\u2019s hosted the Emmys three times and the Oscars<\/a> four, handling everything from an envelope mix-up involving \u201cLa La Land\u201d vs. \u201cMoonlight\u201d to a live global telecast watched by hundreds of millions.<\/p>\n