Jimmy Kimmel Live has been indefinitely suspended over his comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. During the episode that aired on September 15, host Jimmy Kimmel addressed the recent assassination of political activist Kirk. Apparently, it came across as insensitive and unacceptable in the eyes of the network.
In a statement, Nexstar Media Group Inc. called the host’s comments “offensive and insensitive.” Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith’s statement added that Jimmy Kimmel Live will not return until “we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform.” (via USA Today).
Here’s what Kimmel said in his monologue: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.“
Kimmel also joked about how hard President Donald Trump was taking the news of Kirk’s death, proceeding to show a video where he seems unbothered about it all. You can check out his entire monologue below:
As for his contract and salary, his contract with ABC was due to expire in May 2026. A few days ago, Forbes released a list of the Highest-Paid TV Hosts of 2025, ranking Kimmel at number 24 and claiming that he makes $16 million in annual earnings.
Donald Trump Celebrates Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Suspension
Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s suspension comes after the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which Trump also celebrated. Now, he took to Truth Social to talk about Kimmel’s show, calling it “Great News for America.”
He congratulated ABC for finally “having the courage to do what had to be done,” and added that Kimmel had “ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even ‘Colbert’.“
Trump then turned his focus to the two fan-favorite late-night talk shows – Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – calling the hosts “two total losers” and urging NBC to axe them as well.
While Trump celebrated the “cancellation” of Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC’s statement refers to it as a suspension instead, implying there might be hope for the talk show to return.
Hollywood Opposes the Decision, Calls It the End of Free Speech
Hollywood stood in support of Stephen Colbert when he was shown the door by CBS. In fact, Kimmel was one of his loudest supporters, calling out the network on his Instagram story and sending lots of love to the former host. Now, the industry has got Kimmel’s back.
Comedian and writer Alex Edelman, who currently stars in The Paper, posted on X, calling this controversial move the perfect example of cancel culture:
This is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much. https://t.co/qjdFlegOE1
Actor and comedian Ben Stiller also responded to the news, simply stating, “This isn’t right.”
This isn’t right. https://t.co/mVJ8308w1k
The Monster-in-Law actress Wanda Sykes posted a reel on her Instagram in a full face of makeup, stating that she was supposed to go and “have a chat” with Kimmel on his show. She openly criticized Trump’s achievements as the 47th President, stating, “He didn’t end the Ukraine War or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year.”
A post shared by WS (@iamwandasykes)
Kimmel’s Hacks co-star Jean Smart posted a photo with the host on the talk show’s set, admitting that she is “horrified” upon hearing the news of the suspension. She added that Kimmel’s words do not come under hate speech, but rather free speech.
A post shared by Jean Smart (@realjeansmart)
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom also called out the suspension on his X account, going off on how the GOP is controlling media platforms, firing commentators, and censoring people “in real time.”
With the industry coming together for Kimmel, it’s only a matter of time before we get a definite answer about the talk show’s future. Do share your thoughts on the suspension in the comments section below.
You can stream Jimmy Kimmel Live on Hulu.