Topline
The Walt Disney Company announced late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel—whose show was suspended last week for a monologue that criticized Republicans and President Donald Trump after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk—will return to ABC on Tuesday, although the comedian’s show will not be carried by affiliate stations operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Kimmel’s show will return Tuesday. (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)
Disney via Getty Images
Key Facts
Disney said it reached the decision to return the show after “having thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel.
Disney wrote it suspended Kimmel’s show “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” noting it “felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
The decision follows intense scrutiny from top Democrats like former President Barack Obama, Hollywood stars, and major public figures including former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, who seemingly blasted current Disney CEO Bob Iger when he tweeted, “Where has all the leadership gone?”
What Have Affiliate Station Owners Sinclair And Nexstar Said?
Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it will preempt Kimmel’s show on its ABC affiliate stations when it returns to air on Tuesday. In a statement, the company said: “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.” Sinclair controls 39 ABC-affiliated stations across the country, which means the preemption could significantly limit the show’s viewership. Previously, Sinclair had demanded an apology from Kimmel to Kirk’s family and a “meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA,” the conservative group Kirk led. Nexstar, which announced it was preempting the late-night show from its ABC affiliate stations last week—before Disney paused the show’s production—has not commented on the Kimmel’s Tuesday return.
What Did Kimmel Say That Got Him Suspended?
“We 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,” Kimmel said in a monologue last week. The host also made a joke about a video clip in which Trump was asked how he felt the day after Kirk’s assassination, saying to a reporter, “I think very good” before quickly diverting the conversation to construction on the White House’s ballroom project. “He’s at the fourth stage of grief, construction,” Kimmel said. “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Tangent
Disney shares rose up nearly $1 following the news of Kimmel’s return before leveling back out in after-hours trading. The conglomerate’s stock is down 2.6% in the last five days of trading, which include the day Kimmel’s show was suspended.
Key Background
Kimmel’s suspension was announced hours after FCC chairman Brendan Carr told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson he could take action against the show, saying, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Hours later, ABC announced the suspension, along with Nexstar and Sinclair. Nexstar will need FCC approval to secure its planned $6.2 billion acquisition of broadcast company TEGNA. Carr thanked Nexstar for “doing the right thing” and said, “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.” Earlier this summer, the FCC approved the merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance after CBS settled a $16 million lawsuit from Trump and Skydance vowed to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations from its business practices. Skydance also agreed to examine allegations of bias surrounding CBS News, receiving praise from Carr, who said “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly.”
Further Reading
ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel ‘Indefinitely’ After Charlie Kirk Comments: Here’s What He Said (Forbes)
Ex-Disney Chief Blasts Current Leadership And FCC For ‘Out-Of-Control Intimidation’ After Kimmel’s Removal (Forbes)
Hollywood Stars Backing Kimmel: Stern, Streep, Hanks ‘The View’ Hosts, More (Forbes)
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