Hollywood’s Bold Stand After ABC Drops Kimmel’s Late-Night Show
Jimmy Kimmel ABC cancellation: After ABC withdrew, Hollywood criticized the White House for focusing on free speech and launched a new page Following Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the administration of Donald Trump rallied behind the late-night comedian on Wednesday, threatening to regulate his speech.
The country’s top communications regulator vowed to launch an inquiry into Kimmel’s remarks, and the Walt Disney Company (DIS.N) said that it was discontinuing “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely after at least one affiliate announced it would take its place on the network.
Kirk’s Death Sparks Free Speech Uproar After ABC Faces Political Pressure
Kirk’s supporters were allegedly exploiting his death to “score political points” in his Monday monologue, according to the late-night show, who often criticizes Trump. Actors’ and writers’ unions said that the action amounted to an assault on the right to free expression guaranteed by the constitution and that ABC should not have given in to pressure from the US government.
Kimmel Show Suspension Fuels Free Speech Fight After Kirk Murder Backlash
The most recent move against media personalities, academics, educators, and business personnel for their comments about Kirk after the 31-year-old’s murder in Utah one week ago was the suspension of Kimmel’s program.
In a joint statement, the Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East said, “What we have signed on to – painful as it may be at times – is the freeing agreement to disagree.” “Those in government who fail to remember this fundamental reality should be ashamed. Our words have made our bosses wealthy. The whole world suffers when we are silenced.
Kirk Murder Fallout: Kimmel Show Suspension Sparks Outrage Over Free Speech Crackdown
Although a 22-year-old suspect has been charged with Kirk’s murder, it is still unknown what exactly motivated him. Fans expressed their sorrow over Kirk’s passing, and some well-known right-wing followers were inspired to take aim at anybody who disagreed with Kirk’s views or made jokes about his murder. “The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms,” said SAG-AFTRA, the organization that represents actors, in a condemnation of the show’s cancellation. Actor Ben Stiller also posted “this isn’t right” on social networking platform X.
Trump Targets Media Again: $15B Lawsuit and Pressure to Shut Down Kimmel Show
President Donald Trump has put pressure on broadcasters to avoid showing information he deems offensive and has threatened to revoke television stations’ licenses on many occasions. By bringing a $15 billion defamation claim against the New York Times, he has now directed his wrath onto print media.
Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, had called on local broadcasters to cease showing the program earlier on Wednesday. A request for comment from Kimmel, who has often attacked Trump on his late-night comedy program, was not answered.
After Kimmel’s remarks on September 10 that “the MAGA gang” was “doing everything they can to score political points” off of Kirk’s assassination, Nexstar Media Group (NXST.O), opens new tab, which owns 32 ABC affiliates, announced it would cease airing the show, ABC canceled it. Additionally, he attacked Trump’s grieving, likening it to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
In an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday, Carr said, “we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” implying that the regulator may launch an inquiry and that stations would be subject to penalties. Nexstar was commended by him, who said that “it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
“Trump’s FCC identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme retaliation,” the American Federation of Musicians warned. This is censorship by the state.