Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air on Tuesday, ending a suspension
“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,” ABC’s parent said in a statement.
Kimmel will address the controversy when he returns to the stage, according to people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified. He personally negotiated his return with Disney Chief Executive Officer
Disney’s decision to suspend the show followed pressure from both the federal government and independent operators of ABC stations.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the company said in a statement posted on X.
The ABC network pulled the show on Sept. 17, two days after Kimmel, 57, said conservatives were trying to score political points from the killing.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said in his Sept. 15 monologue.
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Shortly after, Nexstar and Sinclair said they would pull the program in the wake of Kimmel’s comments.
“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 Monday. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
The broadcast industry has been urging the FCC to relax limits on station ownership and allow more consolidation. Nexstar is in the process of buying rival broadcaster
On Tuesday morning, Carr posted on X, saying the Democrats are engaged in projection and distortion.
“Projection because Democrats are the ones that spent years illegally weaponizing government to silence dissent,” he wrote. “Distortion because Democrats want to blame anything other than Disney and their local TV stations for Kimmel’s suspension.”
Carr said it was good that local TV stations were pushing back against Disney. “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,” he wrote.
The decision to suspend Kimmel drew condemnation from the Hollywood creative community. Former Disney CEO
In addition, two Republican senators —
FCC member
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In recent years, conservatives have attacked Disney for being too woke. The company gave a Black actress the title role in a remake of The Little Mermaid and included a gay kiss in the Toy Story spinoff Lightyear, moves that sparked complaints.
Iger has attempted to bring conservatives back into Disney’s big tent. He said the company had strayed in its storytelling. He tweaked Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies and settled a lawsuit with Trump late last year.
Kimmel’s contract with Disney is due to expire in May 2026. A former radio host, he has been hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003. Beyond his flagship show, he has other business with Disney, which has included emceeing the Oscars, appearing regularly at the company’s annual presentation to advertisers and hosting the rebooted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
(Updates with Nexstar boycott in seventh paragraph.)
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