Jimmy Kimmel was reinstated after a week-long suspension of his late-night show by ABC, owned by Disney, due to his comments criticizing former President Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters' response to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension occurred because Disney deemed some of Kimmel's remarks poorly timed and insensitive during a sensitive national moment. After thoughtful discussions between Disney executives and Kimmel, the decision was made to bring the show back on air. Financial considerations played a significant role in the reinstatement. During the suspension, Disney suffered nearly $5 billion in stock value losses, and many consumers canceled their subscriptions to Disney's streaming platforms. The backlash against the suspension, including criticism from free speech advocates, Hollywood unions, lawmakers, and celebrities, pressured Disney to reverse the decision. However, some major ABC affiliates, such as Sinclair and Nexstar, chose not to air Kimmel's show upon its return, replacing it with news programming or demanding assurances for respectful dialogue. Kimmel did not publicly apologize for his remarks but was expected to clarify his comments. The reinstatement reflected Disney's balancing act between managing political sensitivity, financial losses, and defending free speech principles.
