Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Silence After ABC Pulls His Show Off-Air Over Charlie Kirk Shooting Remarks

The American television industry has been shaken up by recent developments surrounding the fan-favourite ABC talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! Amid all the debates and protests surrounding the makers abruptly pulling the show off-air ‘indefinitely’, the host, Jimmy Kimmel, has broken his silence on this seismic turn of events following his controversial remarks about the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last week.

What sparked the fallout?

ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel’s show off-air stems from the renowned talk show host’s controversial remarks on September 14, 2025, days after Charlie Kirk’s cold-blooded assassination. The renowned talk show host suggested that far-right groups were trying to shift the blame for Kirk’s murder and his alleged assailant, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, away from one of their own. He was heard saying:

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it… On Friday, the White House flew the flags at half staff, which got some criticism, but on a human level, you can see how hard the president is taking this. ”

Kimmel went on to mock Donald Trump’s bizarre reaction to the news as he showed clips of the former president discussing Kirk’s death in the same lines as he talks about White House ballroom renovations. The comedian quipped:

“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”

Kimmel’s comments didn’t sit well with conservatives and drew swift condemnation. Within 48 hours, Disney’s ABC announced that they are pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live off-air ‘indefinitely’. Nexstar Media Group, America’s largest local broadcaster, quickly followed suit, refusing to air the programme across its 200-plus stations. Trump himself celebrated the show’s cancellation on Truth Social, writing:

“Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.”

Kimmel speaks out about the fallout 

According to Jimmy Kimmel’s friends and insiders, the 57-year-old TV show host has been blindsided by the fallout. Speaking privately to former Late Show host David Letterman, the comedian assured that despite all the chaos, he was ‘doing fine’, as reported by Variety. He further lamented:

"This is misery. feel bad about this. We see where this is all going, correct? It's managed media. And it's no good. It's silly. It's ridiculous. And you can't go around firing somebody because you're fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office. That's just not how this works. The institution of the President of the United States ought to be bigger than a guy doing a talk show."

Jimmy Kimmel lashed out after Charlie Kirk’s assassination

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was in the middle of a talk session with students at Utah Valley University when he was fatally shot in the neck. The alleged assassin was identified as 22-year-old Taylor Robinson, and the FBI tagged it as a ‘political assassination’. Shortly after the tragedy, while hosting an event in Utah, Kimmel addressed it, reiterating his stance against gun violence. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”

Celebrities rally behind Kimmel

Kimmel’s suspension from ABC has since sparked outrage and left the audience divided, but Hollywood is largely standing behind him. Celebrities like Steve Martin, Kyra Sedgwick, and Ben Stiller, along with the comedian’s colleagues, like Jimmy Fallon, have spoken out against the decision. Even former President Barack Obama slammed the cancel culture on X, writing:

"After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like.”

What’s next for Kimmel?

Kimmel was reportedly preparing to address the controversy head-on during his Wednesday night broadcast before ABC pulled the plug. For now, the comedian is staying relatively quiet as the future of his globally popular talk show hangs in the balance.

What are your thoughts on ABC’s decision?

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