ABC, owned by Disney, is facing backlash from all corners of the entertainment industry after it suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! due to pressure from the Federal Communications Commission. According to the Free Speech Coalition, the plug was pulled just days after Kimmel delivered a monologue that was highly critical of MAGA and Republicans following the death of Charlie Kirk. This transpired after Brendan Carr, Chairman of the FCC, said he would take action—a thinly-veiled threat, according to observers, to limit protected speech.

Fallout From All Sides

The pulling of the show was brought by the host’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Almost immediately following ABC’s announcement, an avalanche of complaints rolled in from all corners of the entertainment industry. Actor Ben Stiller expressed on X: “This isn’t right,” and Jamie Lee Curtis posted a picture of Kimmel with supportive comments on Instagram. Comedian Wanda Sykes shared a video commenting that while Trump has not resolved international conflicts, “he ended freedom of speech in his first year.” Jean Smart said she was “horrified,” writing, “what Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech.”

Michael Kosta, a comedian on The Daily Show, joined in on Instagram, calling it a serious threat to speech and stating that networks “MUST fight back.” Unions including the WGA, American Federation of Musicians, and SAG-AFTRA released statements condemning the cancellation as an attack on free expression and artistic integrity.

Tommy Williams, a member of the audience who just had arrived for their taping on Wednesday, told the Associated Press the suspension of the show was announced right when the studio audience was ready to enter. “It just seemed a bit overboard,” he said, adding once he heard Kimmel’s comments, “didn’t quite seem reasonable to justify that.”

Criticism is coming from several organizations outside of the entertainment industry. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech non-profit, stated the actions by the FCC were an abuse of power. In comments on X, the group accused Carr of “selectively targeting speech the government dislikes” and added, “the government pressured ABC – and ABC caved.”

A demonstration is also being organized outside of the El Capitan Entertainment Center in Hollywood where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed. Refuse Fascism organized an event planned for Thursday afternoon. The demonstration is expected to attract fans and First Amendment advocates demanding Kimmel’s return and protection of political speech in entertainment. With the fallout from this special episode of the show, controversy continues to grow with ABC not offering a return date for Kimmel making it even worse.