Hollywood unions, Democratic lawmakers and former president Barack Obama on Thursday condemned the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, calling it a dangerous attack on free speech after ABC yanked his programme "Jimmy Kimmel Live" over remarks about murdered right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The Walt Disney-owned broadcaster said the show would be pulled indefinitely after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) signalled it might investigate Kimmel's commentary. The move came after Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which together own dozens of ABC affiliates, said they would no longer air the show.
Kimmel, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, told viewers on Monday that Kirk's allies were trying to "score political points" from the conservative commentator's assassination. Kirk, 31, was shot onstage during a student debate at a Utah university on Sept 10.
Trump, speaking in Britain during a state visit, cheered the suspension, calling Kimmel "talentless" with "bad ratings" who "said a horrible thing about a great gentleman." He denied the move amounted to censorship, insisting: "He was fired for lack of talent."
Democrats saw it differently. House leaders accused Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, of abusing power to silence critics. "He has disgraced the office he holds by bullying ABC and forcing the company to bend the knee," their statement said.
Hollywood unions were blunt. The Writers Guild of America West and East called the suspension "an attack on constitutionally protected rights." SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors, said ABC's decision set a precedent that "endangers everyone's freedoms." PEN America denounced it as "government-instigated censorship against satire and comedy."
Kirk's killing has triggered grief among conservatives and intensified political battles online. Prosecutors have charged a 22-year-old Utah student with the murder, though his motive remains unclear. Some right-wing figures have accused Kirk's critics of mocking his death.
Carr, speaking to conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, suggested broadcasters risked fines if they continued airing Kimmel's show. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," he said, praising Nexstar for "pushing back on Disney programming that falls short of community values."
Several actors spoke openly in support of Kimmel, urging fans to boycott Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN subscriptions. "Cancel your Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN subscriptions," Tatiana Maslany, who is known for playing She-Hulk in Marvel Studios' 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law', wrote on Instagram.
Several fellow Marvel star Marisa Tomei also encouraged followers to boycott Disney brands, while Jameela Jamil warned that freedom of speech was at stake. Pedro Pascal, Zoe Saldana, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Dave Bautista posted messages of support for Kimmel.
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