Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension and Free Speech Concerns
Alexander Fry
Staff Writer
Free speech has recently become a divisive topic in the United States, with Jimmy Kimmel’s brief suspension sparking controversy about the suppression of free speech. Kimmel’s show was initially suspended on September 17th after his comments surrounding the death of conservative influencer
Charlie Kirk. Kimmel stated on his show that “the MAGA gang [was] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them”, and that they were trying “to score political points from it.” He went on to mock Donald Trump’s reaction to the situation, as when Trump was asked how he was holding up after Kirk’s death, he said “very good”, and proceeded to pivot into talking about the construction of his new ballroom, stating it would “be a beauty”. Kimmel said that “this is not how an adult grieves… …This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish”. While Kimmel sent his condolences to the Kirk family, his jesting monologue was seen as inappropriate, so Nexstar Media Group took Kimmel’s show off the air, with Disney/ABC deciding to suspend Kimmel’s show shortly afterwards.
The decision to fully suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! came shortly after a Trump administration official responsible for licensing ABC to local stations called for Kimmel to be punished. Additional speculations began to rise after Kimmel’s suspension that Nexstar was trying to gain favor with the Trump administration after their preempting of Kimmel, as Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group are currently bidding for a local media group called Tegna, which requires the approval of the current administration to acquire. Both Nexstar and Sinclair kept Kimmel off air for an additional four days after Disney/ABC reinstated Jimmy Kimmel Live! before bringing him back to local television on Friday, September 26th. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group are responsible for controlling over 25% of ABC’s local stations.
President Donald Trump congratulated ABC for taking Kimmel off the air on Truth social, additionally posting “That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC”. The head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Brendan Carr praised the decision to take Kimmel off the air and for the cancelling of Colbert’s late-night show earlier this year. The FCC is responsible for controlling public air waves, so some were concerned that Carr’s opinions could potentially interfere with the regulation of broadcasts, as he indirectly threatened companies continuing to air Jimmy Kimmel, saying “We can either do this the easy way or the hard way”.
Why are concerns over free speech rising?
Many people have voiced their concerns about the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show and its potential implications regarding free speech. The chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, has been scrutinized in the past for his war on media that criticizes the president, so the suspension of the Jimmy Kimmel show brought worries about free speech suppression back into the spotlight. ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel came after Brendan Carr’s “easy way or the hard way” statement, so some believed Carr’s vague threat pressured Disney/ABC to suspend Kimmel. Additionally, both Nexstar and Sinclair have pending business with the current administration, so their actions regarding the suspension could be seen as trying to gain favor with Trump, as the president has a public distaste for Kimmel.
Kimmel’s suspension was made more prominent by the announcement earlier this year that Stephen Colbert’s late-night show would be cancelled due to “financial decisions”. When Colbert’s show was cancelled, Paramount had pending business with the Trump administration regarding a merger with Skydance Media. Colbert was known to mock Trump with vitriol, so a large settlement from Paramount to Trump along with the cancellation of his show created worries concerning the extent of free speech on television and potential bribery as Colbert claimed.
To further intensify debates over free speech, some people have been calling for critics of Charlie Kirk to be fired, more specifically people mocking his death. This mindset parallels the notorious 2020-21 “cancel culture”, but with a more conservative audience heading the charge. However, it is important to note that some notable conservatives opposed the decision to suspend the Kimmel show. Ted Cruz called the decision “mafioso” and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “this isn’t an area the FCC should be wandering into”.
Overall, Trump’s outspoken distaste for Kimmel paired with Brendan Carr’s threats and Nexstar/Sinclair’s extended suspension have brought concerns over the limitations of free speech to center stage. These debates were only exacerbated by the Colbert show cancellation and the cancel culture revival for those who mock or criticize Charlie Kirk.
The resolution explained
After five days off air, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was brought back by Disney on September 22nd. Disney’s official statement explained that they had “spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, [they] reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday”. During the time when Kimmel was off air, Disney was facing pressures from consumers threatening to cancel their Disney Plus subscriptions, while some Hollywood talent vowed not to work with the company. Additionally, Disney lost nearly $5 billion in market value, with Forbes stating it was nearly $7.4 billion lost in stockholder value, so financial pressures could’ve been a factor in their decision to bring back the show.
Nexstar and Sinclair held out longer than Disney, but both companies brought Kimmel back to their broadcasts on September 26th. Nexstar stated that they “remain committed to protecting the First Amendment while… …airing national news that is fact-based and unbiased”. It is important to note that both companies faced potential contract penalties if they continued not to restore programming for Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
After ABC/Disney lifted Kimmel’s suspension, his show drew a record 6.3 million viewers on Tuesday, September 23rd. His numbers have since fallen, especially amongst young adults. Kimmel stated in his first monologue back that he never meant to make light of Kirk’s murder, additionally condemning political violence. He also said that Carr’s attempts to censor him were “un-American”, and that it is “important … that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this”. Donald Trump was critical of Kimmel’s show coming back to air.
While the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has ended as he has returned to his usual programming, concerns over free speech have surfaced. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has received the most criticism for his history of action against media outlets and indirect threats towards ABC before Kimmel was suspended.
Contact alexander.fry@student.shu.edu