<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile President Donald Trump is celebrating<\/a> Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> Live! getting suspended by ABC <\/a>over host Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s viral Charlie Kirk remarks, other Hollywood notables and political figures are slamming the network\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n \n\tCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is among those calling ABC\u2019s move an attack on free speech, writing on X, \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<\/p>\n \n\tFormer President Barack Obama<\/a> also weighed in to condemn the suspension, writing on Threads<\/a>, \u201cAfter years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn\u2019t like. This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent \u2014 and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tOn Wednesday, ABC announced Jimmy Kimmel Live!\u00a0would be \u201cpreempted indefinitely\u201d after Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr\u00a0<\/a>condemned Kimmel for saying during his Monday night show that he suspected Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson was a MAGA Republican.<\/p>\n \n\t\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 Kimmel said during his opening monologue. After, Carr also threatened to take action against ABC affiliates over Kimmel\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n \n\tIn response to ABC\u2019s decision, Michael Kosta, a comedian and one of The Daily Show\u2018s rotating hosts, highlighted the First Amendment on his Instagram Story, adding, \u201cThis is a serious moment in American history. TV networks MUST push back. This is complete BS.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tHacks star Jean Smart shared on Instagram, \u201cI am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live. What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda. Though I didn\u2019t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIn an Instagram video, comedian and actress Wanda Sykes blamed the suspension on \u201ccomplaints by the Trump administration.\u201d She added, \u201cLet\u2019s see, he didn\u2019t 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\u2019s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAlex Edelman, writer, comedian and star on The Paper, also wrote<\/a> on X, \u201cThis is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tActor and comedian Paul Scheer\u00a0wrote<\/a> on Threads, responding to a video of Fox commentator Brian Kilmeade calling<\/a> for mentally ill homeless people to be killed, \u201cSo let me get this straight. Kimmel is off the air for his comments about the politicization of an assassination but this is totally fine.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAs the premiere of his new movie Him took place right across the street from Kimmel\u2019s theater Wednesday night, comedian Tim Heidecker told THR, \u201cIt\u2019s a dark, dark time. I think it\u2019s very scary; it\u2019s happening very quickly and we are seeing the results of electing a fascist and what it feels like to be living under a fascist regime. I am sure Jimmy will be OK but it\u2019s very scary and is absolutely state-sponsored censorship. I mean the guy from the FCC said, \u2018We can do this the easy way or the hard way\u2019 \u2014 that\u2019s like mob stuff. I\u2019m very upset by it. Late night TV is not my thing but that\u2019s OK, I think he should be able to say what he wants, within reason. What he said didn\u2019t seem that crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tMore reactions to the news about the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! follow, and will be added as this story develops.<\/p>\n