Jimmy Kimmel Live! is set to make its comeback on ABC this Tuesday, just shy of a week after the network pulled the plug on production. The move comes from ABC’s parent company, Walt Disney, following controversial comments by host Jimmy Kimmel about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Disney explained in a statement Monday that they halted the show last Wednesday to prevent worsening an already heated national moment. “We had some deep talks with Jimmy over the past few days,” the company said. “Those conversations led us to bring the show back on Tuesday.”
The drama started during Kimmel’s monologue last week, where he pointed out that suspect Tyler Robinson in Charlie Kirk’s murder might actually be a pro-Trump Republican. Kimmel called out the MAGA crowd, saying they were “desperately trying to paint this kid as anything but one of their own” to grab political points from the tragedy.
President Donald Trump quickly cheered the suspension, blasting the “radical left” for Kirk’s death and dismissing Democratic claims that political violence cuts across party lines. Top administration figures echoed that view.
The backlash escalated when FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned he might crack down on Disney and ABC. Carr suggested the agency could even yank licenses from ABC’s local stations as punishment for the remarks, according to reports.
On the flip side, Hollywood rallied behind Kimmel. Over 400 stars, including Tom Hanks and Jennifer Aniston, signed an open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union defending him and free speech.
Not everyone is on board with the return, though. Nexstar Media Group, which runs the biggest local TV network in the U.S. with over 200 stations reaching 220 million viewers, said on September 18 they’ll keep skipping Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their ABC affiliates for the foreseeable future.
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