September 2025
Wow, what a difference a week can make. I started writing this column when the future of of Jimmy Kimmel’s late night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was in doubt. Now, I have to re-write sections of this column as the American Broadcasting Network (ABC) and its owner, the Walt Disney Company, have rescinded the suspension. Well, they have, but others, not so much.
Both Nexstar Media Group, which operates 28 stations affiliated with Disney-owned ABC across America, and 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.”
The ABC had announced that production of Jimmy Kimmel Live! had been suspended, based on his controversial comments regarding the death of political commentator Charlie Kirk. Many on the political left, and some on the right, were decrying that freedom of speech was under attack, which is ironic given that many of the same crowd have been loudly cheering for the cancellation of those who opposed their views. The usual crowd of leftists don’t seem to view the cancellation of the platforms of right-wing commentators as suppression of freedom of speech, so there’s that.
What Kimmel’s suspension emphasizes is that the right to freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences. I reject the idea that Kimmel’s freedom of speech is being stifled. Kimmel never lost the ability to speak his mind. It was just the ABC Network that said he couldn’t exert his right to free speech on their network.
Kimmel’s contract is up for renewal in 2026, so this may ultimately turn out to simply be a “temporary reprieve.” What I noted in my original column, when I thought his show wasn’t coming back, is that Kimmel could do what a lot of people are doing these days and start his own podcast or You Tube channel, where he can continue to say what he wants to say. This option may still be in Kimmel’s future. Others who were cancelled by left-wing opponents have turned podcasting into the best thing that happened to them.
Now, I don’t agree with ABC suspending or cancelling his show based solely on his comments. That said, the decision is the network’s to make. As with freedom of speech having positive and negative consequences, so does suspending Kimmel. Numerous celebrity supporters are coming forth, encouraging subscribers to cancel their Disney Plus streaming service subscriptions, including actors working on shows playing on the Disney Plus. Disney may regret this decision someday, but it was their decision to make.
I’m not a fan of Jimmy Kimmel and the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show. I haven’t found Kimmel funny since he was on The Man Show, a politically incorrect comedy show on the Comedy Network that Kimmel co-hosted with Adam Corolla from 1999-2003.
Best of luck Jimmy, in all your future endeavors. Oh wait, you’re back? Well, I guess now I can go back to Not Watching your show. Hopefully, Kimmel will now show some humility, but I’m not counting on it.
Sources: What a world without Trump criticism would look like | Opinion, Jimmy Kimmel backed by Disney stars Mark Ruffalo, Pedro Pascal, What a world without Trump criticism would look like | Opinion, Jimmy Kimmel’s show to remain off dozens of U.S. stations despite return – National | Globalnews.ca.
