ABC pulls Kimmel after getting pressure from the White House

[Kevin M.]

I’m gonna need to see tape of the episode. The comments as written don’t even merit suspension, let alone full cancellation. 

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nexstar-jimmy-kimmel-abc-charlie-kirk-1236522584/

Kevin M. (RPCV)

[Joe Hass]

As of 6:29 PM CT, the episode's still on Hulu.

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[Joe Hass]

Now Sinclair is getting in the act (no doubt smelling blood in the water) and saying that not only will they air a "tribute" to Kirk on Friday night in the Kimmel time slot, they will not return him to the air unless he apologizes and makes a "substantial donation to the Kirk Foundation and Talking Points USA".

https://bsky.app/profile/thedesk.net/post/3lz33dqcwn22g

So basically it won't be the network that cancels him, it'll be the conservative broadcast groups.

[Joe Hass]

[Kevin M.]

I’ve watched the last two monologues and his interview with John Oliver on YouTube. 

I was more offended by the jokes he made about his dog Fluffy dying in his swimming pool. And I wasn’t actually offended by that, but I was more offended by that than anything related to Kirk. 

Mostly, the jokes were about the ludicrous FBI director, and how Trump used every question about Kirk to promote Trump. 

At this point, it is fair to say that both CBS and ABC are state-run media. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[PGage]

The NYT piece on this emphasizes that the show has been suspended not canceled, though not sure if that’s a meaningful difference at this point. I don’t see Kim while eating the quantity of shit that would be required of him to be allowed to crawl back.

The barbarians have been at the gate really since 2016. They have now reached the perimeter. Trump is no longer hinting or alluding or passively, aggressively joking about violating the constitution in multiple ways; he’s coming right out and telling us he’s going to do it and then he’s doing it. He said he was gonna punish anybody who criticize Charlie Kirk or conservatives who defended Charlie Kirk and he’s doing it. I’ve had people on my Facebook feed. Tell me that they’re gonna join some kind of monitoring group that is collecting information on people who post critical things about Trump and the MAGA community So that the government or groups allied with the government and punish them (me). I don’t know how true that is today, it’s max of the kind of over the top bravado by morons who are smoking their own shit; Still, it seems only a matter of time, and maybe not that much, until that’s exactly what’s going to be happening.

Sent from Gmail Mobile

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[Stan S]

According to a Reddit post by someone who was at the Colbert taping Wednesday, during the last break someone from the show told  Stephen that there was something that he had to see and handed him a phone. Colbert read it, went white, and read it to the studio audience. Then he said that he needed more information and he was going to call Jimmy. He ran offstage, came back after a few minutes, and said that there was nothing new to report. Then he taped the standard “good night”. 

[Kevin M.]

You know, I’ve never really enjoyed Jimmy Kimmel’s show, which is why I rarely if ever watched him. I also never really enjoyed Charlie Kirk, which is why I rarely if ever watched him, either. Charlie Kirk should not have been killed for his views. Jimmy Kimmel should not be censored by the FCC for his views. 

It amazes me that it now seems culturally rare that I can hold both truths (that neither Kimmel nor Kirk deserved their fate) simultaneously. 

Now for the harsher truth: Kimmel and his family should be in protective custody. Not because he said or did anything wrong, but because a percentage of the population is out for blood, and Trump and the FCC just painted bullseyes on the Kimmel family. This wasn’t a lone gunman acting against Kimmel; this was the resources of the United States government labeling him as the enemy, and Kimmel needs to take that threat seriously.

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[Bob F]

I'm not surprised at these "reports" (however serious they are) of social-media-monitoring efforts... but unless they're backed in whatever way by the administration, who can pressure the platforms' leaders to let them in, it's all unofficial and nonbinding... 

B

PGage, to Kevin M, in part, Sept 17th:

[Mark Jeffries]

And of course Desi Lydic didn't say anything on "TDS," since they were taping and probably no one said anything about it (although Lewis Black raged about Labudus. Shoulyd be interesting on late-night tonight.

For the record, Kimmel was replaced by a rerun of "Celebrity Family Feud." The Comcast on-screen guide still lists Kimmel at 10:35 CT tonight.

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com

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[Bob F]

"Lost" creator Damon Lindelof will not work with D!sney until Kimmel returns... on IG he concluded a lengthy screed with the hope that repliers to his comment "know the difference between hate speech and a joke":

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/damon-lindelof-pledges-not-to-work-with-disney-jimmy-kimmel-suspension-1236523784/ (link)

B

Kevin M, Sept 17th:

[Bob F]

I hope Jimmy goes on someplace and speaks his mind, even if it results in the government or those intransigent station owners bringing charges against him, just to see their next move. Both the major narratives about Kirk are provable. A suspension can turn into a cancellation if enough allegations are made on one side.

B

Kevin M, Sept 17th:

I’ve watched the last two monologues and his interview with John Oliver on YouTube. 

[Kevin M.]

I suspect, as when Conan lost the Tonight Show, there is a gag order in Kimmel’s contract preventing him from speaking about the circumstances. And if there isn’t, as his lawyer, I’d still advise him not to speak until he reaches the Supreme Court. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[Joe Hass]

Here's a tick tock covering ABC's ass.

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/jimmy-kimmel-decision-behind-the-scenes-e1ecbbf2?st=HxoWbT

(I couldn't quickly find a gift link, so this will have to do.)

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[Mark Jeffries]

BTW, it's "Celebrity Family Feud" with yo man Steve Harvey again at 11:35 tonight on ABC.

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[Greg Diener]

This implies someone would actually want to work with Damon Lindelof.

Greg

[Dave Sikula]

If the WGA and SAG-AFTRA had the courage of their convictions, they'd back up their statements with a strike against doing any work for Disney.

They won't, though.

--Dave Sikula

[Kevin M.]

Former CEO Michael Eisner has weighed in. 

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/disney-michael-eisner-bob-iger-suspend-jimmy-kimmel-trump-intimidation-1236524532/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAM6jwBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgPw9vcA682s2KX0nrSysORcJOBZsA8iJUVh9_nA7655-W0idDzelkj0_JJG_aem_ee-hrIljo8UYjLh3VbK7Vw

When you’ve strayed so far as a corporate CEO for a network that Michael f-ing Eisner thinks you’ve lost it, you should seriously question every life choice you’ve ever made. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[Bob F]

FWIW, discussions are on between Jimmy and die Maus for a compromise, but the sources who briefed V said there is no guarantee of a deal, and no clues as to what Kimmel is thinking...

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/jimmy-kimmel-abc-disney-late-night-comeback-1236524695/ (link)

B

Kevin M, to Dave Sikula and moi, Sept 19th:

[Tom Wolper]

I can tell you exactly what Kimmel is thinking.

He’s close friends with Howard Stern. Even if he doesn’t follow Howard’s path, he still has someone to talk to who went up against the FCC and didn’t back down.

Even if this gets treated like a Stalinist show trial, Kimmel is in no danger. The worst outcome for him is that he remains comfortably in the 1% for the rest of his life. He wants to continue to do the show but not desperately.

The longer this goes on the better he looks and the worse Disney looks. Kimmel benefits by letting it play out slowly.

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[PGage]

Puck reported yesterday that there were discussions about Kimmel making some kind of statement in a return show to calm the waters, but Kimmel is insisting he would only clarify what he did not say, and then say again what he did say, which Disney thinks would be even worse.

Also reports Disney is surprised at the widespread negative reaction to pulling Kimmels plug.

Sent from Gmail Mobile

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[Kevin M.]

The only way Kimmel is going on ABC again is if he given permission to go full Howard Beale and speak untethered to absolute power. For a network to allow that would be… well… go watch the movie “Network” and see for yourself. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[Greg Diener]

Sinclair caved and didn't bother airing their special on Charlie Kirk and aired Celebrity Family Feud instead on Friday Night.

https://bsky.app/profile/maura.bsky.social/post/3lzbe4s5znk2x

Greg

[Bob F]

Nearly lost in all of this is the fact that Kimmel's contract is up, and it's not like die Maus can just pull a Colbert, cuz there's still the question of who hosts prime-time "Millionaire"...     B

Kevin M, to PGage and moi, Sept 20th:

[Mark Jeffries]

Which is scheduled to air a new episode on Thursday. If Kimmel walks out, do they still run it?  (The celebs' charities will probably still get the winnings even if the show doesn't air.)

Mark Jeffries

spotl...@gmail.com

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[David Bruggeman]

Forgive my ignorance, but they tape Celebrity Millionaire same day to air?  Why?  Are any of the celebrity-heavy game shows (Match Game, Press Your Luck. whatever Anthony Anderson is doing now) taped same day?  Because AFAIK Celebrity Jeopardy! hasn't been.  Given the Millionaire format can have contestants carried over episode to episode, I was convinced they taped a bunch during a Friday or some other off time for Kimmel.

David

[Kevin M.]

I think they taped those over the summer 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[ko...@frontiernet.net]

They taped Celebrity Millionaire in June before he left for the summer

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

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[M-D November]

I don't know why, but David's question about reminded me of this:

[Kevin M.]

I’m curious. Has “yo man” Steve Harvey weighed in/objected to his show being used in a government censorship scandal? I feel like if he had any scruples at all, he would reject being used as a forced replacement. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[Kevin M.]

Jimmy is back on ABC on Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175?user_email=ceca0ba284fb24bc4c0c0fd80d30e042d4b6e2d6b1e8ff93ed3dcd7be32310c4&utm_medium=APNews_Alerts&utm_source=Sailthru_AP&utm_campaign=NewsAlert_Sep22_2025_03:53PM&utm_term=AP%20News%20Alerts

No word on what restrictions he will have. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)