In an unprecedented move, ABC, Disney, and Nexstar are pulling Jimmy Kimmel off the air after his shocking remarks about the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The decision represents not just a programming shift, but a statement about the role of broadcast networks in maintaining standards of decency at a time when political discourse is already dangerously overheated.
ABC and Disney’s ABC confirmed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be “pre-empted indefinitely” following the late-night television host’s Monday monologue about Charlie Kirk, a spokesperson told NBC News. Nexstar Media Group quickly followed suit, announcing that “the company’s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show.”
In their official statement, Nexstar made the point bluntly: “Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, explained further why the move was necessary. He noted that Kimmel’s “comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located.” He added that “continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
This pushback did not come in a vacuum. As Breitbart News reported, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened action against Kimmel, as well as Disney and ABC, after the TV host suggested that Kirk’s assassin may have been part of the “MAGA gang” and mocked President Donald Trump’s decision to honor Kirk by ordering American flags flown at half-staff. For a government official to even hint at FCC involvement underscores how seriously regulators are watching the boundaries between free speech and broadcast responsibility.
The facts of the case make Kimmel’s words all the more troubling. Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, reportedly left a message for his transgender roommate and partner, admitting to the shooting and saying, “I had enough of his hatred.” That reality alone refutes the narrative Kimmel tried to push. Instead of grappling with the truth, he chose to smear millions of Americans with a partisan swipe that trivialized a life lost to violence.
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld didn’t mince words in his response. He said Kimmel is “done” after his on-air remarks. “He didn’t imply it. He said it,” Gutfeld pointed out. “I might have to watch Kimmel tonight to see what he has to say about this, because if he doesn’t address what he did, he’s done.”
Gutfeld then went deeper, calling the episode “a great case study of cognitive dissonance.” He asked, “How can such a smart, successful man be so wrong? How can he live in this kind of denial? It’s because he knows he’s wrong.”
In Gutfeld’s view, this isn’t just about one bad joke or even one bad monologue. It’s about a mindset that refuses to see the damage caused by vilifying political opponents. “And if you strip that away, what’s left? If you wrestle him away from this delusion that he’s stuck with for years about Trump supporters, about Trump, about Republicans in general, what’s left, what’s underneath that. The realization that you are the bad guy in the movie,” he argued.
“You’re not a defender of democracy. You’re a defender of destructive delusions,” Gutfeld continued. “I mean, I hate to tell you, buddy, but the guy who shot and killed Charlie Kirk was more likely a fan of yours than he was MAGA.”
This entire episode highlights something conservatives have long warned about: the corrosive impact of media elites who mock, dismiss, and even slander ordinary Americans while cloaking themselves as voices of comedy or reason. For years, late-night television has drifted away from humor and into partisan propaganda, creating a feedback loop that inflames divisions instead of bridging them.
When networks and affiliates finally draw a line, it’s worth paying attention. This isn’t simply about Jimmy Kimmel losing airtime. It’s about whether institutions entrusted with national platforms will allow entertainment figures to normalize contempt for half the country. By choosing to pull the plug—at least for now—ABC, Disney, and Nexstar are acknowledging a responsibility that too many in Hollywood have chosen to ignore.
The question going forward is whether this marks a rare moment of accountability or just a temporary cooling-off period until the outrage dies down. Either way, it serves as a reminder: free speech comes with consequences, especially when it crosses into territory that insults victims, misrepresents reality, and deepens divisions at a time when the country needs common sense and restraint.
After YEARS of allowing people to run their potty mouths and smear anything and anybody they choose , they dislike or even to get a laugh . Now , in order to make it appear you have , maybe an ounce of decency . Too late !
I am satisfied that ABC and its parent company chose to remove Jimmy Kimmel.
I do hope that they are considering the same for The View, those propaganda spewing haters are overdue for a positive change.