Jimmy Kimmel was suspended indefinitely by ABC following controversial remarks he made about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. During his Monday night monologue, Kimmel accused the "MAGA gang" (supporters of Donald Trump) of attempting to exploit Kirk's death for political gain. He disputed efforts to portray the shooter as anything other than aligned with the MAGA movement and criticized the way some expressed mourning for Kirk's death. These comments sparked backlash from powerful local TV affiliates, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr, and others. The suspension resulted from mounting pressure on ABC from its affiliates, including major groups like Sinclair and Nexstar, who threatened to stop airing Kimmel's show, and the FCC who cautioned of potential consequences for the network. ABC's parent company, Disney, decided to pull "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the air indefinitely as a response. Kimmel had been warned to address the controversy but was reportedly unwilling to apologize, which contributed to the decision. Former President Trump welcomed the suspension, attributing it to Kimmel's poor ratings and criticizing other late-night hosts as well. In summary, Jimmy Kimmel's suspension was due to his politically charged and contentious comments concerning the political affiliations of Charlie Kirk's shooter and the reactions to Kirk's death, which led to significant backlash from broadcasters, regulatory authorities, and political figures, prompting ABC to remove his show from the air indefinitely.
