Hollywood reacted swiftly to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after ABC indefinitely preempted the show over Charlie Kirk remarks. The network confirmed it would pull the late-night program “for the foreseeable future,” and Nexstar, which operates 32 ABC affiliates, announced it would replace the show due to “strong objections” to Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University.
How Hollywood reacted to Jimmy Kimmel Live! Pre-Empt
President Donald Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, calling it “great news for America” and urging NBC to also cancel Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous.”
Comedian Alex Edelman described the decision as “the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much.”
Wanda Sykes shared an Instagram Reel expressing frustration at the abrupt cancellation after being scheduled to appear on the show, while Jean Smart wrote that she was “horrified” and defended Kimmel’s remarks as free speech.
Ben Stiller posted, “This isn’t right,” and Michael Keaton urged networks to “stand up” in a handwritten note shared online. Michael Kosta of The Daily Show referenced the First Amendment, warning that networks “MUST push back.”
Chris Hayes labeled the decision “the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life.” Don Lemon posted a video stating he could not find anything controversial in the clips cited, calling the decision “a very dangerous and scary moment for America.” Hasan Piker argued on X that corporations were “instantly folding” to political pressure.
The Writers Guild of America released a statement emphasizing that “the right to speak our minds…is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people,” declaring solidarity with Kimmel and his writers (via Deadline).
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