Ben Affleck has had a LOT of his life raked over the coals by critics… but there’s one moment that stands out as the most “embarrassing” to him personally!
The 53-year-old appeared on Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he got candid about a major career hurdle — and spoiler alert, he’s not talking about his critically condemned 2003 movie with Jennifer LopezGigli!
While chatting with the talk show host, Ben admitted when he lost out on an Oscar nomination for Best Director for his 2012 film Argo, it felt like a “massive embarrassment” — particularly because the film was nominated AND WON for Best Picture. He said:
“It was the year, the horrible thing of everyone telling you, ‘You’re gonna get nominated, you’re gonna get nominated for director.’ And so, of course, I wake up that morning, and sure enough — and, by the way, it’s not [unlike] any other morning that I had not been nominated for Best Director. But all of a sudden, it’s a massive embarrassment. I woke up and people [said], ‘You didn’t get nominated.’”
“It’s just more embarrassing because I wasn’t the one going out there like, ‘I’m going to get it, I’m going to get nominated,’ and so it was more, like, having to be put through the ritual of then answering for why you didn’t get nominated … It was a little bit embarrassing.”
Jimmy tacked on:
“This is maybe the worst award-show situation ever. I think you’re underselling this. Because Argo, not only was it nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, you won Best Picture. You starred in it and directed it, and you were not nominated in either category … it’s as if the movie directed itself.”
Yeesh!
What are YOUR thoughts on this unforgettable Oscars snub, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments down below!
As Gavin Newsom wraps up his last term as California’s governor, several contenders are lining up to replace him. The latest to enter the race is Representative Eric Swalwell
Rep. Eric Swalwell officially launched his campaign for California governor on Nov. 20, declaring himself a “protector and fighter” for the state. The East Bay congressman made the announcement during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Thursday night.
“Our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector,” Swalwell told Kimmel. “Someone who will bring prices down, lift wages up.”
Swalwell’s two main objectives if elected are clear: pushing back on Donald Trump and making California more affordable. Swalwell believes the next governor must keep Trump “out of our homes, streets and lives” while also ushering in a new era of California that focuses on lower costs, economic growth and modernization.
“Nancy Pelosi selected me for the Intelligence Committee and to help lead the impeachment of a corrupt president,” Swalwell said in his promotional video on his website.
Swalwell’s entry comes amid an already crowded lineup. Among the 14 publicly declared candidates are Tom Steyer, a hedge fund billionaire and 2020 presidential candidate, Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles, and Betty Yee, the California Democratic Party’s vice chair.
However, Swalwell believes he is the best fit for the position.
“No one will keep Californians safer than I will,” Swalwell said. “No one.”
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The California gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 3, 2026, and the primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026, according to the California Secretary of State.
With the Trump Administration threatening to withhold SNAP benefits to Americans in need, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has launched a food drive to support the Los Angeles Food Bank and the St. Joseph Center. The LA Food Bank’s mission is to “mobilize resources to fight hunger in our community,” while the St. Joseph Center helps “working-poor families and people experiencing homelessness to achieve stability and self-sufficiency.”
As the Trump Administration’s government shutdown is about to hit 36 days — marking a new record — there’s still uncertainty over whether the 42 million Americans who rely on food stamp payments will receive any of those benefits moving forward.
Wrote the show on its Instagram account: “Cutting SNAP benefits creates uncertainty for American children, seniors and families. To support our community members in need, we’re starting a donation center in our Hollywood backlot to benefit the @LAFoodBank & @StJosephCtr. Details below. If you are in LA, please come by to donate food and if you are not, please consider supporting your local food banks.”
Dubbed “The Jimmy Kimmel Live Big, Beautiful Food Bank,” the donation hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. at 6901 Hawthorn Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028.
According to the show, the most needed foods are low-sodium soups/chili/stews, tuna/chicken/salmon (cans or pouches), nut butters, low-sugar cereals, protein bars, whole grain pasta and rice.
Also requested are crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, 100% juice boxes, dried fruit, UHT milk, cereal boxes, wipes, diapers, facial cleanser, deodorant, soap, lotions, oral hygiene items and feminine products.
In January, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” also turned the parking lot behind the show’s studio — where normally live outdoor music performances are staged — to serve as a donation point to help Angelenos impacted by the L.A. fires.
Jimmy Kimmel took aim at President Donald Trump on Tuesday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the president made a puzzling claim about Middle Eastern geography.
During a press briefing, Trump suggested that Iran and Qatar are close enough to walk between. In reality, the two countries are separated by the Persian Gulf, with the closest point across the water approximately 119 miles. Kimmel quipped, “Unless you’re Jesus, you cannot walk there.” The remarks came days after Trump received praise for brokering a Gaza ceasefire and ahead of his visit to Israel on October 12.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Kimmel’s jab comes amid a long-running, highly public feud with the president. Viewers were surprised to see him mock Trump just weeks after his show was suspended over remarks about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month.
ABC initially announced Jimmy Kimmel Live! would go “off air indefinitely,” but it returned five days later, resuming episodes on September 23. The host’s continued satire amid these tensions underscores the clash between entertainment, political commentary, and presidential sensitivity, highlighting the cultural significance of late-night comedy in American discourse.
What To Know
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, Trump claimed that Qatar and Iran were “within walking distance,” while praising Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, calling him an “amazing man.” He added, “Other countries are there, but they’re an hour or hour and a half away, big difference. You can literally walk over from Iran to Qatar. You go ‘boom boom’ and now you’re in Qatar. That’s tough territory.” The statement drew immediate attention online for its factual inaccuracy.
Kimmel’s Sharp Response
Kimmel seized the moment for satire, highlighting the impossibility of Trump’s claim. “One can perhaps swim 150 miles, but unless you’re Jesus, you cannot walk there,” he said. He also mocked the president’s use of an oversized Sharpie to sign the Gaza ceasefire, joking, “Trump took part in a signing ceremony, the first U.S. president to sign a ceasefire agreement with a Sharpie the size of a subway sandwich.”
Kimmel further poked fun at Trump’s self-proclaimed Middle East expertise and ridiculed his habit of exaggerating accomplishments in foreign policy.
Return to the Spotlight
Kimmel’s remarks came shortly after his brief suspension, marking a quick comeback that allowed him to continue critiquing Trump while navigating heightened tensions between late-night hosts and the president. The incident demonstrates how quickly late-night comedy can pivot to respond to real-time political events.
Trump has repeatedly targeted late-night hosts. He previously said, “[Stephen] Colbert has no talent. [Jimmy] Fallon has no talent. Kimmel has no talent.” The latter has remained undeterred, using humor to hold the president accountable and entertain viewers, reinforcing the role of satire in American political culture.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump: “You can literally walk over from Iran to Qatar. You go ‘boom boom’ and now you’re in Qatar. That’s tough territory,”
TV host Jimmy Kimmel: “One can perhaps swim 150 miles, but unless you’re Jesus, you cannot walk there.”
What Happens Next
Kimmel’s ongoing jokes highlight debates over leadership, credibility, and the role of humor in politics, while raising the question of how the president might respond to the critiques. He has even suggested he might use his Italian citizenship to leave the U.S. if tensions under Trump’s administration escalate.
When ABC executives told Jimmy Kimmel last month that his show was being pulled off the air, the late-night show’s audience was seated, a guest chef had already started making food, the musical guest had performed a warm-up act, and Kimmel was in the bathroom.”It was about 3:00; we tape our show at 4:30,” Kimmel told Stephen Colbert on an episode of “The Late Show” Tuesday. “I’m in my office, typing away as I usually do. I get a phone call. It’s ABC. They say they want to talk to me. This is unusual: They, as far as I knew, didn’t even know I was doing a show previous to this.”Kimmel said he had five writers in his office at the time, and the only private place where he could take the call was the bathroom.”So I go into the bathroom, and I’m on the phone with the ABC executives. and they say, ‘Listen, we want to take the temperature down. We’re concerned about what you’re going to say tonight, and we decided that the best route is to take the show off the air.’”The audience booed, and Kimmel joked: “That’s what I said: I started booing.””I said, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ and they said, ‘Well, we think it’s a good idea.’ Then there was a vote, and I lost the vote.”Kimmel said he called some of the show’s executive producers into his office to share the news, and he turned white.”I thought, that’s it. It’s over, it’s over. I was like, I’m never coming back on the air.”Kimmel said the show had to send the seated audience home. Chef Christian Petroni’s prepared meatballs and polenta that he had been cooking before the taping went to waste. Future musical guest Howard Jones, however, taped a song for a future episode: “Things Can Only Get Better,” which Kimmel acknowledged was ironic.ABC suspended Kimmel’s show in mid-September for a few days after a controversial monologue that mentioned Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer – and the right-wing reaction to Kirk’s murder. Two days later, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, on a conservative podcast, threatened to pull ABC affiliate broadcast licenses in response. Then Nexstar — the station group which airs “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in approximately two dozen markets — announced they would not air the show. Another affiliate, Sinclair, followed suit. And hours later, Kimmel took ABC executives’ call in the bathroom.Kimmel returned to the air the following Tuesday with an emotional monologue — and mega-ratings.Colbert couldn’t get the line outColbert, who also appeared as a guest on Brooklyn taping of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Tuesday, said he could empathize with Kimmel. The CBS star said executives had made the decision to end his show while Colbert was on vacation. His manager, James Dixon, whom he shares with Kimmel, waited until Colbert returned to share the news.Recounting his desire to tell his audience about the news immediately — despite the fact that “Late Night” is set to run through the spring of 2026 — Colbert told Kimmel that at the end of the following show, he asked his audience to remain in their seats for one more segment. But he had trouble delivering his lines and flubbed the line — twice.”I was so nervous about doing it right, ’cause there was nothing in the prompter. I was just speaking off the cuff,” Colbert said. “They started going, ‘Come on Stephen, you can do it,” because I always messed up on the sentence that told them what was happening. And then I got to the sentence that actually told them what’s happening, and they didn’t laugh.”Although CBS owner Paramount said the cancellation of “The Late Show” was strictly a business decision, many media critics — and Kimmel — questioned that rationale, and some have said it was likely a political decision to appease the Trump administration that needed to approve Paramount’s merger with Skydance.Both Colbert and Kimmel have been frequent and unabashed critics of President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump publicly celebrated when Colbert was canceled, saying in a social media post that Kimmel and NBC’s Seth Meyers were “next.” Trump again celebrated when Kimmel was pulled off the air but criticized — and threatened — ABC when it brought him back on.Meyers made an appearance on Kimmel’s show Tuesday, and the three late night hosts posed for a photograph posted to Instagram. Kimmel added the caption: “Hi Donald!”Kimmel joked with Colbert that Tuesday’s taping was, “The show the FCC doesn’t want you to see.” He introduced Colbert as, “The Emmy-winning late-night talk show host who, thanks to the Trump administration, is now available for a limited-time only.”Kimmel quipped that he was “so honored to be here with my fellow no-talent, late-night loser.” As for the rationale for inviting Colbert onto his program: “We thought it might be a fun way to drive the president nuts.”
CNN —
When ABC executives told Jimmy Kimmel last month that his show was being pulled off the air, the late-night show’s audience was seated, a guest chef had already started making food, the musical guest had performed a warm-up act, and Kimmel was in the bathroom.
“It was about 3:00; we tape our show at 4:30,” Kimmel told Stephen Colbert on an episode of “The Late Show” Tuesday. “I’m in my office, typing away as I usually do. I get a phone call. It’s ABC. They say they want to talk to me. This is unusual: They, as far as I knew, didn’t even know I was doing a show previous to this.”
Kimmel said he had five writers in his office at the time, and the only private place where he could take the call was the bathroom.
“So I go into the bathroom, and I’m on the phone with the ABC executives. and they say, ‘Listen, we want to take the temperature down. We’re concerned about what you’re going to say tonight, and we decided that the best route is to take the show off the air.’”
The audience booed, and Kimmel joked: “That’s what I said: I started booing.”
“I said, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ and they said, ‘Well, we think it’s a good idea.’ Then there was a vote, and I lost the vote.”
Kimmel said he called some of the show’s executive producers into his office to share the news, and he turned white.
“I thought, that’s it. It’s over, it’s over. I was like, I’m never coming back on the air.”
Kimmel said the show had to send the seated audience home. Chef Christian Petroni’s prepared meatballs and polenta that he had been cooking before the taping went to waste. Future musical guest Howard Jones, however, taped a song for a future episode: “Things Can Only Get Better,” which Kimmel acknowledged was ironic.
ABC suspended Kimmel’s show in mid-September for a few days after a controversial monologue that mentioned Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer – and the right-wing reaction to Kirk’s murder. Two days later, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, on a conservative podcast, threatened to pull ABC affiliate broadcast licenses in response. Then Nexstar — the station group which airs “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in approximately two dozen markets — announced they would not air the show. Another affiliate, Sinclair, followed suit. And hours later, Kimmel took ABC executives’ call in the bathroom.
Colbert, who also appeared as a guest on Brooklyn taping of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Tuesday, said he could empathize with Kimmel. The CBS star said executives had made the decision to end his show while Colbert was on vacation. His manager, James Dixon, whom he shares with Kimmel, waited until Colbert returned to share the news.
Recounting his desire to tell his audience about the news immediately — despite the fact that “Late Night” is set to run through the spring of 2026 — Colbert told Kimmel that at the end of the following show, he asked his audience to remain in their seats for one more segment. But he had trouble delivering his lines and flubbed the line — twice.
“I was so nervous about doing it right, ’cause there was nothing in the prompter. I was just speaking off the cuff,” Colbert said. “They started going, ‘Come on Stephen, you can do it,” because I always messed up on the sentence that told them what was happening. And then I got to the sentence that actually told them what’s happening, and they didn’t laugh.”
Although CBS owner Paramount said the cancellation of “The Late Show” was strictly a business decision, many media critics — and Kimmel — questioned that rationale, and some have said it was likely a political decision to appease the Trump administration that needed to approve Paramount’s merger with Skydance.
Both Colbert and Kimmel have been frequent and unabashed critics of President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump publicly celebrated when Colbert was canceled, saying in a social media post that Kimmel and NBC’s Seth Meyers were “next.” Trump again celebrated when Kimmel was pulled off the air but criticized — and threatened — ABC when it brought him back on.
Meyers made an appearance on Kimmel’s show Tuesday, and the three late night hosts posed for a photograph posted to Instagram. Kimmel added the caption: “Hi Donald!”
Kimmel joked with Colbert that Tuesday’s taping was, “The show the FCC doesn’t want you to see.” He introduced Colbert as, “The Emmy-winning late-night talk show host who, thanks to the Trump administration, is now available for a limited-time only.”
Kimmel quipped that he was “so honored to be here with my fellow no-talent, late-night loser.” As for the rationale for inviting Colbert onto his program: “We thought it might be a fun way to drive the president nuts.”
After days of silence and mounting criticism, Sinclair ended its blackout and put Jimmy Kimmel Live! back on air for millions of ABC households.
Jimmy Kimmel at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 10Credit: (Photo by Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
When loyal viewers tuned into Jimmy Kimmel Live! This week, many were met with an empty slot instead of the late-night host’s trademark monologues and celebrity appearances. For millions of households that are served by Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliates, Kimmel simply vanished from the air.
This disappearance wasn’t caused by a production hiccup or contract dispute. But rather, Sinclair quietly blacked out the show after Kimmel made comments about Donald Trump and the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk – remarks critics labeled as insensitive, which sparked swift backlash. In a rare move, one of the nation’s largest broadcast networks indefinitely pulled the plug on the program that has aired for more than two decades now, triggering an outcry far beyond Kimmel’s fan base.
The blackout of the show was trending across all social media platforms, with hashtags demanding Kimmel’s return trended for days. Maybe people accused Sinclair of crossing a dangerous line, arguing that private cooperation was deciding what millions of people could and could not watch. The FCC even signaled interest in reviewing that decision, mentioning concerns about free expression.
By Friday, after pulling the show, the pressure from the public was impossible to ignore. Sinclair announced it would reinstate Jimmy Kimmel Live! starting with Friday evening’s broadcast, ending the blackout and restoring the late-night staple to its regular slot on air.
In a brief statement, the company framed the move as a resolution of “viewer concerns,” but offered little to no explanation for its initial decision.
For Kimmel, the return marks a continuation of a 22-year run defined by political satire and cultural commentary. For viewers, it is proof that public pushback still has power and matters. But the blackout has also cracked open an unsettling debate – if one late-night host can be silenced, even briefly, what does that mean for the future of television in an age of polarizing and corporate influence?
“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” Sinclair said in the statement.
“These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important,” Sinclair added.
A short time later, Nexstar Media Group said it would also return Kimmel’s show to its 28 ABC affiliate stations beginning Friday night.
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“We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns,” the company said in a statement.
“As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
Kimmel returns to late-night, says didn’t intend ‘to make light’ of Charlie Kirk’s murder
Both Sinclair and Nexstar said this week they would continue to keep Kimmel off their ABC airwaves despite the return, but said they remained in conversations with ABC and Disney.
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“In our ongoing and constructive discussions with ABC, Sinclair proposed measures to strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue, including a network-wide independent ombudsman,” Sinclair said Friday.
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It noted the company has yet to adopt those measures.
The suspension was announced shortly after Nexstar and Sinclair said they would pre-empt Kimmel’s show.
Brendan Carr, chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, suggested earlier that same day that companies should take action against Kimmel over his comments “or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr added, comments that Democrats and other critics have said amounted to government pressure on affiliate stations, ABC and Disney.
“Fallon has no talent. Kimmel has no talent. They’re next. They’re going to be going. I hear they’re going to be going. I don’t know, but I would imagine because they’d get — you know, Colbert has better ratings than Kimmel or Fallon,” Trump said.
In its statement, Sinclair said its earlier decision to pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! was done without government pressure.
“Our decision to pre-empt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence,” it said.
Nexstar also insisted its decisions were made due to its commitment “to be stewards of the public airwaves and to protect and reflect the specific sensibilities of our communities.”
“To be clear, our commitment to those principles has guided our decisions throughout this process, independent of any external influence from government agencies or individuals,” the company’s statement said.
Nexstar last month announced a $6.2 billion deal to buy TEGNA Inc., which owns 64 other TV stations.
The deal would require the FCC to change rules limiting the number of stations a single company can own. Carr has expressed openness to changing the rule.
Sinclair has also petitioned the FCC to relax its rules limiting broadcaster ownership of stations.
Kimmel has referenced the decision to not air his show on some stations since returning to ABC this week.
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“We are broadcasting to about 75 per cent of the country from Los Angeles, California, tonight,” he said in his monologue Thursday night.
He noted next week’s shows will be taking place in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“What we have to do now is stay on the move so the FCC can’t get us,” he joked.
Millions of viewers tuned in Tuesday night to watch Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night television after a week-long suspension, propelling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to its highest ratings in a decade. ABC said 6.26 million people watched as the comedian mixed sincerity and humor while addressing the controversy that sidelined him and thanking fans for their support.
Kimmel’s suspension and swift reinstatement put him at the center of a political storm over free expression, media independence and pressure from the Trump administration. His return quickly became a flashpoint for the broader debate about satire in American politics, with critics accusing the comedian of insensitivity and supporters saying he was unfairly targeted.
The ratings surge underscores both the public appetite for late-night television when it intersects with politics and the fragility of the format in an era of cord-cutting and streaming. While traditional late-night shows have seen their audiences shrink in recent years, Kimmel’s return demonstrated that a high-profile controversy can still galvanize millions to tune in. The episode also highlighted tensions between broadcasters, regulators and politicians after federal officials hinted at possible fines for stations airing his program.
What to Know
Kimmel was suspended after remarks he made on Sept. 15 about the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew sharp criticism and political backlash. ABC parent company Disney reversed course six days later, bringing him back on air in what was widely viewed as an act of defiance against pressure from the Trump administration. The move also came amid a wave of subscription cancellations to Disney+ and Hulu by fans demanding his reinstatement.
In his monologue, Kimmel addressed the controversy directly, telling viewers it was never his intent to make light of a young man’s murder. His voice broke as he defended satire against what he called “bullying” from the administration. He also poked fun at Disney’s business interests, jokingly reading scripted lines on how to reactivate Disney+ and Hulu accounts.
Jimmy Kimmel’s 6.26 million viewers Tuesday night far exceeded the typical audience for any late-night show. In the second quarter of 2025, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert led the field with an average of about 2.42 million viewers, followed by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 1.77 million and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 1.19 million. On cable, Fox News’ Gutfeld! — which has outpaced the broadcast shows in total viewership — draws roughly 2.2 million nightly viewers.
Still, Kimmel’s return did not reach all audiences. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which together own or operate 70 ABC stations covering nearly a quarter of U.S. households, refused to air the program. That left gaps in major markets including Seattle, Nashville, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. Both companies said they are evaluating the future of carrying the show, while noting that episodes remain widely available through streaming.
The political fallout extended to Washington. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened investigations and possible license revocations for affiliates that aired the program, remarks that drew calls for his resignation from Democrats and skepticism from some Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, while not directly criticizing Carr or Trump, said government regulators should not pressure broadcasters, leaving programming decisions to networks and audiences.
What People Are Saying
Nexstar said Wednesday that it is evaluating the status of the show, which it will continue to pre-empt on its ABC-affiliated local television stations: “We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve.”
Speaking directly about Erika Kirk, Kimmel said during Tuesday’s monologue that her ability to forgive the attacker is “an example we should follow.”: “If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That’s it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow, that touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many and if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this.”
What Happens Next
Kimmel’s future at ABC now depends as much on politics as on ratings. Disney executives are in discussions with station groups over the show’s distribution, while weighing how to balance creative independence with political and regulatory risks. For now, the network is standing by its star, pointing to the strong ratings and massive online engagement as evidence of his value to the brand.
As you’ll recall, the actress’ ABC sitcom Roseanne was canceled in 2018 after the star pushed out a racist tweet about former WhiteHouse advisor Valerie Jarrett, saying she looked like a combo of “Muslim Brotherhood + Planet of the Apes.” When called out for the racist remark, she argued, “Muslims r NOT a race.” She later apologized:
“I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste.”
She also claimed she thought Valarie was white. But the damage was done. Despite strong ratings, the network canceled the reboot. And now, seeing Jimmy get his show back so quickly, Roseanne is furious over what she’s calling a “double standard.”
When asked what she thinks about the latest scandal at the channel, the 72-year-old argued:
“It just shows how they think. I got my whole life ruined, no forgiveness, all of my work stolen, and called a racist for time and eternity, for racially misgendering someone. It’s a double standard.”
There’s a big difference between saying something undeniably very racist and making a critical comment about conservatives’ reaction to a current event, especially in an era when the government is not being so subtle about trying to influence the media.
But Roseanne doesn’t see it that way. Addressing Kimmel’s reaction when she was canceled, she said:
“He called me a racist, even though I said repeatedly — which they repeatedly censored — that it was a mistake. I thought that the woman was a white woman from Iran.”
She even called out his own problematic past:
“[Kimmel] called me a racist, even though he himself had appeared in blackface on their network many times.”
In 2020, the late-night host previously apologized for appearing in blackface in The Man Show while he impersonated NBA player KarlMalone and Oprah Winfrey. The show ran from 1994 to 2004 on Comedy Central. Certainly not okay whatsoever, and something he was not proud of.
In his statement at the time, he predicted the controversy would be used against him “to try to quiet me,” insisting, “I won’t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.” He has not reacted to Roseanne’s latest comments.
Listen to Roseanne’s full commentary (below):
Reactions? Do U agree with Roseanne? Tell us (below).
Jimmy Kimmel never thought he’d be here. But Kimmel has the skill to rise to this moment, at a jarring time in this country’s history as freedoms are under attack and democracy hangs on just by a thread.
On Tuesday’s return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” we were reminded of that. Kimmel struck the perfect tone, acknowledging the gravity of what had just happened, telling his audience that both sides of the aisle should cherish and celebrate free speech — and then not pulling any punches in joking about what Donald Trump has been up to over the last few days. Political satire has been a late night staple since the dawn of the entire genre, and Kimmel was going to make sure it isn’t going anywhere.
“You had the feeling that this was an important moment,” said one audience member who attended the Tuesday taping. “It felt very cathartic, like, not everything is lost.” It was a good reminder that part of the promise of America has being able to speak without fear of government intimidation.
We all love Jimmy, but he never asked to be drafted to be the protector of the First Amendment and free speech in this nation. He’s a late night talk show host, not an activist. A comedian whose job is to simply poke fun at our nation’s elected leaders.
“This show is not important, what is important is we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this,” Kimmel said.
But these days, just pointing out our government’s foibles makes you an enemy of the state. Kimmel found that out last week, but he’s not the only one. President Trump is still celebrating the impending disappearance of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” And he promises that Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers are next. Trump has the power of the FCC, the DOJ and other agencies ready to do his bidding — and last week, the administration came very close to getting what it wanted: The silence of one of the few prominent voices still poking fun at the madness coming out of Washington.
Let that sink in for a second: Talk show hosts — comedians whose main job is to crack audiences up and help a rotating cast of guests promote their latest projects — are so embedded in the craw of Trump that he’s demanding his agencies find a way to shut them up.
“I just want to say how alarming it is to feel like late night is important,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” writer Louis Virtel said this week on his podcast. “Nobody takes this job thinking, ‘and you know why I decided to make jokes about, whatever, Melania Trump today? To make a difference.” On the one hand, Trump loves to bash the hosts as being low-rated no-talents — yet “he’s the one who is constantly bringing up every day how important these people’s speech is.”
Like many Angelenos, I’m old enough to remember when Kimmel was “Jimmy the Sports Guy” on KROQ’s “Kevin & Bean,” and waiting in line for the annual Christmas cassette that he helped produce. Trust me, “Jimmy the Sports Guy” wasn’t planning on becoming the national lightning rod for free speech — he started off his career by just wanting to be entertaining on the radio.
But Kimmel’s tenacity and talent was always there, even when he was loitering at stations in Phoenix and Los Angeles, waiting for his big break. After he made his way onto “Kevin & Bean” — famously, the morning show hosts had no idea their program director had even hired him — he quickly found success as the sidekick on “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” as comic relief on “Fox Sports Sunday” and then as one-half of “The Man Show” with Adam Corolla.
Still, it was a leap in 2002 when then-ABC Entertainment chairman Lloyd Braun somehow convinced Disney to hire Kimmel and launch an entirely new late night franchise. It was rough going at first, as the show struggled to book guests and wasn’t cleared in several major markets. But Kimmel grew into the role — and as social media came of age and video-sharing websites like YouTube launched, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was at the front of the pack creating viral moments and turning the show into must-share TV.
Kimmel was always personal on air — his family and friends were part of the show from the beginning, including the late Uncle Frank, Aunt Chippy, Cousin Sal and best friend-turned-band leader Cleto Escobedo Jr. Over the years, that meant sharing the story of his son Billy’s heart condition — and why he believed everyone deserves proper health care. As the nation faced tragedies like school shootings, Kimmel was open and honest with how tragic the news was — and how frustrating that there seemed to be no attempts to enact sensible ways to stop gun violence.
Often Kimmel would deliver those monologues with real tears in his eyes — which made him a further target of “f— your feelings” right wingers. That included Tuesday’s episode, where he noted how Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika “forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, that’s it a selfless act of grace forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply, and if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward I hope it can be that.”
But first and foremost, Kimmel is about the comedy. Always has been. The long-running gags like his “feud” with Matt Damon. The practical jokes such as the ones he pulls on family members and celebs like John Krasinski. And as much as Trump doesn’t like it, Kimmel is simply finding ways to still laugh through all the darkness gripping our country.
When I last spoke to Kimmel in July, I shared optimistically that even as we see some of our rights stripped away, the one thing they hopefully can’t take away from us is our joy. And he pointed out that there were still plenty of things to have fun with even inside the Trump White House: “Today we learned that Trump’s nickname for Stephen Miller is ‘Weird Stephen,’” he told me that day. “Now, whether you like Trump or not, that’s a funny nickname to give a person. You must give credit where credit is due. So, a lot of horrible things are happening, but there are also some funny things happening. And I don’t know if it’s to keep us off balance or just how it goes with an inconsistent person, but I am able to find the humor in all this.”
And not only is Kimmel still all about making us laugh, but he continues to share his reverence for the craft of comedy. That’s why he adores icons like David Letterman, Howard Stern and the late Norman Lear, all of whom he’s had the chance to honor on his show.
On Tuesday, Kimmel posted a photo of himself with Lear (with whom he produced the series of specials “Live in Front of a Studio Audience”) along with the caption, “Missing this guy today.” Lear was a true hero — a WWII vet who fought fascism, then came home and built a career making America laugh while also tackling some of the most important issues of our time. Lear adored Kimmel, and he would have loved seeing the host back on his TV screen tonight.
Jimmy Kimmel didn’t think he’d be here. But I’m glad he still is.
Eight days after he was unceremoniously yanked off the air, Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC Tuesday night with a monologue that got right to the point. “I’m happy to be here tonight with all of you,” Kimmel began. “I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours—me or the CEO of Tylenol.”
Kimmel then thanked everyone who reached out to him in the week he was off the air, including fellow late night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, and former ABC host James Corden. He also made a point of thanking “the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway”—folks like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and even Kimmel’s longtime antagonist Ted Cruz, all of whom publicly supported Kimmel’s right to free speech following his suspension.
Last week, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live after comments Kimmel made about the MAGA movement’s response to the murder of Charlie Kirk raised the ire of the Trump administration. The decision came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr complained about Kimmel on a right-wing podcast and threatened to investigate ABC if it did not take action against the comedian. Following Carr’s comments, affiliates owned by the conglomerates Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live—and in turn, ABC announced that the show had been pulled from the air “indefinitely.”
Though Kimmel directly addressed Carr’s criticism—and poked fun at the federal employee’s total about-face regarding the importance of political satire—he also sounded a note of contrition about the comments that had led to his suspension in the first place. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking. “I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution, and it isn’t, ever.”
At the end of his monologue, Kimmel also praised Erika Kirk for the comments she made at her husband’s livestreamed memorial on Sunday night. “I don’t know if you saw this—Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband,” he said. “That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was. That’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply.”
On Monday, Disney announced that Kimmel’s show—which has aired on ABC since January 2003—would return to the air. In a statement, the nation’s largest media company said that it had suspended the show “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” adding that it “spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy.” Though Disney relented, viewers across the country who access ABC through affiliates owned by Many viewers access ABC through affiliate networks, and two of the largest affiliate operators, Sinclair and Nexstar, said they would preempt the show after Disney announced his return.
The late-night TV host marked Tuesday night as his return to the airwaves after that abrupt suspension last week following comments he made about the death of conservative political pundit Charlie Kirk.
Fans have been waiting to see what would happen upon the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! to ABC. And even though Tuesday’s comeback wasn’t aired on all ABC affiliates across the country, the episode still marked a momentous occasion for Jimmy, his staff, and his viewers — oh, and social media users, too, of course.
Tuesday night’s guests were actor Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan. And look, no shade intended towards them, but… nobody was there to see them do their thing. Nahhhh, everybody tuned in to see what Kimmel would say about getting pulled off air!
So, without further ado, here we go…
Kimmel entered the studio to ROARING applause, with the audience giving him a standing ovation, chanting “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy,” and more. See for yourself:
Jimmy Kimmel returns to his show to a huge standing ovation.
He thanked them for their support, then started his comeback monologue by joking:
“If you’re just joining us, we are preempting a regularly scheduled encore episode of Celebrity Family Feud to bring you this special report.
The 57-year-old comedian then referenced RFK Jr.’s “autism announcement” that was dropped on Monday, quipping:
“I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol.”
By the way, experts have largely refuted the MAHA claim that the only doctor-approved painkiller for pregnant women is a cause for autism, but we digress…
He continued:
“It’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people all over the world, over the last reached out 10 or 11 times, weird characters from my past, or the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle, not airing tonight by the way.”
He also thanked right wing voices like Ted Cruz‘s that warned against such retaliation and what it means for the first amendment.
“It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did and they deserve credit for it.”
Kimmel then made it extremely clear his intention was to never make light of Kirk’s death, saying:
“I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”
Remember, he never actually made a joke about the death of Kirk. In fact, he strongly condemned the assassination the day it happened and sent his sincere condolences to the family. No, he was pulled over his comments about the gunman and the right wing reaction to it all.
Regardless, he still knows it was wrong and unAmerican for ABC affiliates to respond the way they did, calling out Donald Trump‘s FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for publicly saying the network would get pressure regarding Kimmel’s comments when Carr said, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” and “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Overall the entire monologue was a poignant message of unity for all Americans and our first amendment rights. It was also one for healing. He ended on a note about Erika Kirk‘s speech from the podcaster’s memorial service on Sunday, specifically her public forgiveness for the gunman. Kimmel said that’s what the teachings of Jesus Christ are all about it — forgiveness. Through tears he admitted it touched him deeply, saying “if there is anything we should take from this tragedy, it’s that.”
Watch it all for yourself (below):
BTW, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will welcome Ethan Hawke, Lisa Ann Walter, and musical guest Yungblud on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, Peyton Manning, Oscar Nuñez, and musical guest Alex G will show out.
Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel discussed Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in his first show back on air Tuesday night after getting suspended.
Why It Matters
Kimmel’s return to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a weeklong suspension marks a significant moment in the ongoing national discussion on free speech, political influence over media and the boundaries of televised commentary.
The suspension came after Kimmel’s remarks after the assassination of Kirk, sparking a fierce public debate over censorship and political pressure on broadcasters. The controversy centered on Kimmel’s comments about MAGA and 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing.
Kirk, 31, was a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and a face of the MAGA movement for younger generations. He utilized social media platforms to engage with younger people to discuss topics related to culture wars, foreign policy, religion and other conservative values.
Additional media broadcasters like Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group pulled the plug on Kimmel’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as the companies own multiple ABC local affiliates across the country. Sinclair continued to preempt Kimmel’s show on Tuesday, saying in part that “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.” Nexstar also continued to preempt the show.
What To Know
In his monologue, Kimmel addressed his previous remarks, saying he does not think that the suspect “represents anyone” and that the assailant is “a sick person who believed violence was a solution.”
Speaking directly about Erika Kirk, Kimmel said that her ability to forgive the attacker is “an example we should follow.”
“If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That’s it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow, that touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many and if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel thanked his fellow late-night talk-show hosts, both at home and abroad, who he said had shown solidarity with him. He also thanked his audience “who cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so mine could be heard.”
“Maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe but support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” he said, before citing a list of influential conservatives who spoke out in support of free speech.
“It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration and they did and they deserve credit for it, and thanks,” he said.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,’’ adding that violence was never a solution.
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make but I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
What People Are Saying
Trump, on Truth Social Tuesday night: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his “talent” was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”
Kimmel said: “This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
What Happens Next
Jimmy Kimmel Live! resumes regular programming but remains inaccessible in regions where affiliates controlled by Nexstar and Sinclair are still withholding it.
Update 9/24/2025 1:50 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
Nexstar Media Group, which operates 28 stations affiliated with Disney-owned ABC across the U.S., said Tuesday it will pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel’s show, noting in a statement that the program “will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products.”
“We made a decision last week to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse,” Nexstar’s statement said.
“We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
The statement comes after Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns 38 other ABC affiliates, said Monday it will pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its own stations, replacing the show with news programming.
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“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the company said in a statement.
ABC, which suspended Kimmel’s show last Wednesday following criticism of his comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, announced Monday that Kimmel’s show would return after the network had “thoughtful conversations” with the host.
Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is set to appear on Kimmel’s first show back, publicists for both the musician and her Hulu-distributed Lilith Fair documentary have confirmed.
Disney also announced Tuesday it was increasing subscription costs for its streaming platforms Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S. by between $2 and $7 a month. It did not announce similar price hikes in Canada.
Several consumers said on social media they were cancelling their Disney streaming subscriptions in the wake of Kimmel’s suspension.
Jimmy Kimmel suspension stokes U.S. media censorships fears
The suspension was announced hours after Nexstar said it would pre-empt the show due to Kimmel’s “offensive and insensitive” remarks in the opening monologue of his Sept. 15 broadcast.
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Sinclair followed suit and said it would only return Jimmy Kimmel Live! to its affiliate’s airwaves after Kimmel apologizes to Kirk’s family and makes a “meaningful personal donation” to Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA.
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Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, posted on X that “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make.” He later applauded Sinclair for upholding its decision to block Kimmel’s show and said affiliates “have every right to demand accountability” from the comedian, who he called “an unrepentant liar.”
Kimmel has not yet addressed his show’s suspension or its return.
Nexstar and Sinclair’s announcements last week came after Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said on a podcast last Wednesday that Kimmel was trying to “directly mislead the American public” and suggested the FCC could take action.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Protests target Disney after Jimmy Kimmel pulled from air
Those remarks set a backlash in motion, with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas saying that Carr acted like “a mafioso.” Hundreds of entertainment luminaries, including Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Aniston, signed a letter circulated by the American Civil Liberties Union that called ABC’s move “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”
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Since Kimmel’s suspension, however, Carr has framed the situation as an organic uprising of local affiliates against national media companies to control the content they air.
“Notably, this is the first time recently that any local TV stations have pushed back on a national programmer like Disney,” he wrote on X on Tuesday. “And that is a good thing because we want want empowered local TV stations. After all, local TV stations—not the national programmers—have public interest obligations, and they should be making decisions that in their view meets the needs of their local communities.”
Carr has also accused Democrats and critics who say he exerted government pressure to limit Kimmel’s free speech of “distortion” and “projection.”
“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he’s in because of his ratings, not because of anything that has happened at the federal government level,” Carr said during a conversation at the Concordia Summit in New York on Monday, before Disney announced Kimmel’s return to the air.
Nexstar owns or partners with more than 200 stations in 116 U.S. markets, and owns broadcast networks the CW and NewsNation, as well as the political website The Hill and nearly a third of the Food Network. Its ABC-affiliated stations operate in cities including Nashville, New Orleans, Salt Lake City and smaller markets including Evansville, Ind., and Binghamton, N.Y., among others.
The deal would require the FCC to change rules limiting the number of stations a single company can own. Carr has expressed openness to changing the rule.
Sinclair owns, operates or provides services to 178 TV stations in 81 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks and owns the Tennis Channel. Its ABC affiliates include stations in Washington, D.C., Portland, Ore., Chattanooga, Tennessee, and other cities.
The company has also petitioned the FCC to relax its rules limiting broadcaster ownership of stations.
Disney, meanwhile, needs approval from the Trump administration for its ESPN division to complete an acquisition of the NFL Network.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was taken off air last week after the host’s comments about the Make America Great Again movement and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk sparked outrage.
In his September 15 monologue, Jimmy Kimmel said the “MAGA gang” was trying to score political points from Kirk’s death and were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
He also mocked President Donald Trump’s response to a question about how he was doing in the wake of Kirk’s killing, in which the president responded by talking about construction happening at the White House.
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel said.
Why Did ABC Reinstate Jimmy Kimmel?
On Monday, ABC’s parent company, Disney, said it had come to the decision to reinstate the show following “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel.
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” Disney said in the statement. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
Who Owns Sinclair Broadcast Group?
Sinclair Broadcast Group, a publicly traded company controlled in part by the Smith family—with David D. Smith as executive chairman—has historically leaned conservative.
While Disney has decided to put Kimmel back on air, the Sinclair Broadcast Group,which controls many ABC affiliates, has said it will preempt the show, meaning it will block it and air its own programming instead.
The company called on Kimmel to apologize and make a donation to Kirk’s conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA.
What Time Is ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’?
Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC and returns on Tuesday.
Where Can I Watch ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’?
The show is set to air on ABC stations nationwide.
However, Sinclair Broadcast Group has said it will preempt the program on its affiliates and instead air news programming in the slot.
This means viewers in markets with Sinclair-owned ABC affiliates won’t be able to watch the show on their local channels.
Nexstar, another major owner of ABC affiliates that previously objected to Kimmel’s comments about Kirk, has not confirmed whether it will air the returned show.
Who Is Jimmy Kimmel‘s First Guest Back?
It is not clear who Kimmel’s first guest back will be.
The show’s website, which ordinarily lists the upcoming interviewees and musical guests for the week, has not been updated since the news that the show was returning.
ABC’s daytime talk show The View finally broke its silence on the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! This came after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr suggested that the agency should review their program next.
After Jimmy Kimmel Live! was abruptly pulled off the air following his comments about Charlie Kirk, which many deemed inappropriate, many talk show hosts, including John Oliver, stepped forward to discuss the implications of this move, especially on the First Amendment. CBS allegedly canceled Stephen Colbert’s show shortly before this, citing his political commentary.
John Oliver says Jimmy Kimmel is the ‘latest canary in the coal mine’
John Oliver made his feelings abundantly clear about the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel’s show. He claimed that free speech was under attack in the United States. In the latest episode of his show, Last Week Tonight, the host condemned the cancellation. He also claimed that it was “by no means the first casualty in Trump’s attacks on free speech.”
Oliver continued, “He’s just the latest canary in the coal mine,…A mine that at this point now seems more dead canary than coal (via Business Insider).” Interestingly, various other actors and comedians also criticized Kimmel’s suspension, and Oliver dedicated most of his episode to discussing it.
Oliver criticized Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Carr’s reaction to Kimmel’s statements directly led to the suspension.
Among the things that were singled out in Jimmy Kimmel’s show, the host notably said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” This was the primary thing that led to action against his show.
Before Oliver, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Jon Stewart had already spoken out about Kimmel’s suspension. But Oliver’s segment was more detailed and more critical compared to what the other hosts said. Although Colbert and Meyers also spoke in detail about how this suspension was an assault on freedom of speech.
The future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! still hangs in jeopardy.
The musical performances scheduled to take place at Sunday night’s premiere of Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery have been canceled as Disney — parent company of the doc’s distributor, ABC News Studios — continues to deal with the fallout from last week’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel.
“While the previously scheduled musical performances will not take place, we invite you to stay for a reception following the screening to celebrate the documentary,” organizers said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
At the premiere, Lilith Fair co-founder Sarah McLachlan, who also appears in the documentary, introduced the film ahead of the screening. She announced that the performances were canceled in a move of solidarity to support free speech.
McLachlan began her remarks by noting that she struggled with what to say.
“It’s a gift for all of us to see [this film], but also I’ve grappled with being here tonight and around what to say about the present situation that we are all faced with, the stark contraction to the many advances we’ve made watching the insidious erosion of women’s rights, of trans and queer rights, the muzzling of free speech,” McLachlan said. “I think we’re all fearful for what comes next, and none of us know, but what I do know is that I have to keep pushing forward as an artist, as a woman to find a way through, and though I don’t begin to know what the answer is, I believe we all need to work towards a softening to let in the possibility of a better way, because I see music as a bridge to our shared humanity, to finding common ground.”
She continued: “If Lilith taught me anything, it taught me there is a great strength in coming together to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. So I really hope this documentary inspires everyone to continue to try and create positive change in your communities, to keep lifting each other up, keep championing the causes you believe in with kindness and empathy because ultimately we’re all in this together.”
Toward the end of her remarks, she broke the news about the performances being canceled.
“I know you’re expecting a performance tonight, and I’m so grateful to all of you for coming, and I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” McLachlan said, receiving loud applause in support. She added, “Thank you for your understanding.”
“I know you’re expecting a performance tonight, and I’m so grateful to all of you for coming, and I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” Sarah McLachlan said breaking… pic.twitter.com/CteaSYysnl
While the invitation to the event did not specify who was planning to perform — it teased only that “special surprise performances” were scheduled — a source tells The Hollywood Reporter that McLachlan and Jewel were the artists set to take the stage, along with another surprise guest. THR has reached out to reps for the event for more information. Puck’s Matt Belloni reported that Olivia Rodrigo was the surprise guest set. Rodrigo appears in the final moments of the documentary in an interview segment during which she praised the Lilith Fair artists as her “North stars.”
Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery retraces the iconic music festival that went on tour in the late 1990s and featured female solo acts and bands. A portion of the 1-hour, 39-minute documentary was dedicated to how the artists faced protests, backlash and even a free speech fight during stops of the tour. While in Houston, organizers had partnered with Planned Parenthood to set up a booth on the venue grounds with reps handing out condoms. Conservative pro-life groups criticized the move as did venue officials by attempting to ban the organization from participating. Joan Osborne explained that Planned Parenthood was eventually allowed in but artists were prohibited from discussing or promoting the organization during their sets. Osborne resisted, saying she didn’t enter into such an agreement, so she wore a Planned Parenthood T-shirt.
Before Sunday’s screening, a slide noted that ABC News Studios and Hulu support the Downtown Women’s Center, which helps homeless women and gender diverse individuals; LGBTQ+ advocacy group PFLAG; and the Geena Davis Institute, which works to improve representations of women and girls in media. QR codes for each organization were displayed for moviegoers to find out more.
Also in the audience at the event, taking place at The Ford in Los Angeles, are singer Lisa Loeb, actor-comedian Mae Martin and actor Charlie Barnett. Meanwhile, the event hosted a red carpet ahead of the screening, but it did not include any members of the press.
The news comes as Disney continues to deal with the fallout from the suspension of Kimmel following the ABC late-night host’s remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
After station owners Nexstar and Sinclair said they would not be airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the wake of those comments, Disney made the decision to suspend Kimmel indefinitely. The company has faced backlash from Hollywood A-listers, current and veteran late-night hosts, politicians and the public for its decision, with many accusing Disney of bowing to pressure from the Trump administration.
Ally Pankiw directed the doc. Dan Levy is a producer on the film, and Diane Sawyer is executive producer. All three, along with McLachlan, were on hand at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month for the film’s premiere.
The documentary was released Sunday on Hulu and Disney+.
ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 17 after Nexstar, the largest television-station owner in the country, promised to pull it over Kimmel’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s death. In response, some people are now pulling their support for ABC and parent company Disney. The WGA, SAG-AFTRA, and celebrities across Hollywood have all spoken up in support of Kimmel, and in-person protests are happening on both coasts. Meanwhile, some creatives with ties to Disney are speaking out: Lost creator Damon Lindelof announced on September 18 that he will not work for Disney until Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns, while She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany has endorsed a boycott of Disney+ and HulkMark Ruffalo points out the economic impact. Stars from other studios, like Cynthia Nixon, Noah Centineo, and more, are showing their support as well by cancelling their subs.
Hundreds of WGA and SAG-AFTRA members picketed outside Disney’s headquarters in Burbank on September 18, displaying signs with messages including “ABC Bends the Knee to Fascism” and “This is literally what your show Andor is about!” On the same day, picketers also gathered outside of El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, where Kimmel tapes his show. “Here Comes Hitler: A New Comedy From ABC,” one sign read. Several other signs encouraged people to cancel their subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu.
About 100 people also gathered in front of ABC’s New York headquarters where the crowd chanted “Kimmel stays, Trump must go” and “ABC, grow a spine,” per Variety. Assemblymember Alex Bores said in a speech that it is “un-American” for the government to take someone off the air “because of political speech.” And there are plans for more picketing: The Writers Guild of America East announced that it will protest outside the entrance to ABC’s offices in Manhattan on Friday to “demand ABC bring back Jimmy Kimmel Live! and to fight to protect free speech.”
The Hulk actor quoted a post about how Disney’s stock is reportedly down 7% and points out how much worse it can get financially. He writes, “It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show. Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.”
Nixon shared a video of herself canceling her Hulu and Disney+ subscription in solidarity with Kimmel. She explained how she let the streamers know the reasoning behind her decision. The HBO star said, “They asked me why and I hit other and I wrote, ‘Because I believe in the First Amendment, reinstate Jimmy Kimmel now.’” She then named Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building as shows her family would miss but they would miss the First Amendment more.
While it looks like Centineo might’ve bought a Disney+ subscription just to cancel it, he’s standing in solidarity with the boycott. How else is The Fosters star supposed to participate if he didn’t have a subscription to begin with?
The Supernatural actor posted that he will be canceling his Disney+ subscription “indefinitely,” following the same language as the original Kimmel suspension.
Maslany, who plays the titular role in Disney+’s She-Hulk, encouraged more than half a million followers to cancel their subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN in a September 18 Instagram Story.
While calls to boycott Disney have spread, including from action group 50501, Lindelof is the first creative to publicly threaten to boycott working with the company entirely until Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns. “I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon,” Lindelof wrote in a September 18 Instagram post. “If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it. If you’re about to fire up in my comments, just ask yourself if you know the difference between hate speech and a joke. I think you still do.”
The Watchmen creator also emphasized his friendship to Kimmel and faith in the host’s patriotism. “I met him for the first time backstage at the ABC upfronts in 2004,” Lindelof wrote. “He had just seen the Lost pilot and dug it. He also said, ‘I hope you guys know what you’re doing.’” He added that, “In the twenty years since, I’ve gotten to know Jimmy and if you know Jimmy, you know his incredible wife and head writer, Molly, who is not just his better half but his better three quarters. You also know he is caring and empathic and grateful. You know he loves his country.”
Jimmy Kimmel said something dumb. He joked that the gunman who tried to assassinate Charlie Kirk was “one of them,” meaning a conservative.
That remark was stupid, careless, and offensive to at least half the country, myself included. But the shooter’s politics are as relevant as Charlie Kirk’s politics—in that they are not. Yes, the shooter was comfortable with guns and in a relationship with a trans person in the middle of transitioning. None of these facts are relevant. Like many ordinary Americans, he probably holds ideas that contradict the doctrine of either political party. To blame the Left or the Right for this lone-wolf act is total surface-level mentality. You are just phoning it in, missing the complex dynamics for what they really are.
That goes for Jimmy Kimmel and for anybody who flaps their gums for a living. Jimmy knows better and should apologize. But pulling the show? That is where the real story begins.
Kimmel made his remark. Then FCC chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, publicly warned local ABC affiliates that they could face investigations and even license trouble if they kept airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! Many of these affiliates are mom-and-pop operations held together with shoestring budgets and minimum-wage reporters. Carr basically put those tiny, vulnerable outlets in the crosshairs. Nexstar, the biggest ABC affiliate owner, caught the signal and yanked the show. Within hours ABC and Disney announced an indefinite suspension. From the outside it reads like the nation’s top broadcast cop leaning on the smallest, poorest stations first, triggering a chain reaction that made ABC fold.
Protesters leave their signs on a ledge during a protest against ABC removing Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air in front of the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2025. Protesters leave their signs on a ledge during a protest against ABC removing Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air in front of the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2025. Benjamin Hanson / Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images
While it is unfortunate that ABC and its affiliates do not show more backbone, Trump’s FCC went after the local station owners threatening to pull their licenses. They have no legal firepower to fight back and it is not even remotely a fair fight. This is a third-world country shakedown, all because someone who talks for a living said something stupid.
Kilmeade quickly apologized, so it’s all good now. But if Kimmel is going down for saying that Charlie Kirk’s shooter was a conservative, then Kilmeade should definitely have gone down for suggesting we murder homeless people. Or we can realize, like adults, that people who talk all day are bound to say stupid things sometimes. Own the moment, apologize, move on, and do not do it again. Only a clear pattern should cost someone their job.
Meanwhile Trump has sued The New York Times for $15 billion for daring to question his propaganda, and demanded up to $20 billion from CBSbefore settling for a tiny fraction. This is not about money. It is about using the full force of the executive branch and Trump’s personal lawyers as a battering ram to intimidate institutions. Conservatives who cheer now will regret it when the pendulum swings. A future left-wing president could use the same precedent to target Fox News, Newsmax, or Sinclair under the guise of a revived fairness doctrine.
All of this points toward a dystopian future where late-night comedians are banned because no one is allowed to poke fun at the president, regardless of who is in office. Trump does it to soothe his ego. Democrats will do it because they see he got away with it. And then there are no more funny talk shows at all.
Thinking out loud is precisely what free speech is supposed to protect. If we do not defend the rights of people we disagree with, we do not really believe in free speech. Jimmy Kimmel said something stupid and should apologize. That is where this should end. Instead it looks like it is just getting started.
Jesse Edwards is director of Newsweek Radio & Podcasting, and the host of Newsweek Radio.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
