ABC has announced that the Jimmy Kimmel Show will be reinstated to the network’s schedule tonight, Sept. 23. Here is a timeline of events and statements regarding his suspension.
Wednesday, Sept. 10
Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman at Utah Valley University.
Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel posted his condolences on X, sharing his thoughts via X as news broke of the incident, writing, “Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?”
Commenting on Kirk’s shooting, Trump told reporters at the White House that “we have a great country. We have radical left lunatics out there and we just have to beat the hell out of them.”
Thursday, Sept. 11
After a report that assassination suspect Tyler Robinson lived with a transgender partner, Donald Trump Jr. said: “Seems like per capita the radical transgender movement has to be the most violent movement anywhere in the world.”
Conservative influencer Lara Loomer posted: “These people are sick. It’s time to designate the transgender movement as a terrorist movement. Trans people are a threat to society. We can’t allow them to continue killing people. They need to be socially ostracized and the President should make medical transitioning ILLEGAL in our country. It’s time.”
Friday, Sept. 12
Law enforcement authorities announced that they had arrested Robinson for the crime.
Monday, Sept. 15
Hosting Charlie Kirk’s podcast, Vice President JD Vance blamed the left for Kirk’s death: “Importantly, we have to talk about this incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism that has grown up over the last few years and, I believe, is part of the reason why Charlie was killed by an assassin’s bullet.”
Vance also called for the dismissal of anyone who celebrated Kirk’s death. “Call them out, and hell, call their employer.”
In his monologue on his nightly show, Kimmel said: “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 then criticized Trump’s giving short shrift to a question about his emotions in the wake of Kirk’s murder. Trump had just said “very good” before pivoting to comments about the ballroom he is building in the White House.
“Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction,” Kimmel said. “Demolition, construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend; this is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Wednesday, Sept. 17
Brendan Carr, head of the FCC, told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that Kimmel’s comments on Monday were “truly sick” and ABC should take steps against Kimmel: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct to take actions, frankly on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
In July, Trump had applauded CBS’ decision not to renew Trump critic Stephen Colbert’s show, writing on X on July 18, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”
“The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented late-night sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, [Jimmy] Fallon will be gone,” Trump said. “These are people with absolutely no talent, who were paid millions of dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be great television. It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it!”
From the FCC’s website:
“The limitations on the FCC’s power to restrict or ban speech begin with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which decrees that the federal government “shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. Accordingly, Congress through Section 326 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 326, explicitly declared that nothing in the statute shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the [broadcast] communications or signals transmitted by any [broadcast] station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of [over-the-air] broadcast communication.
“Pursuant to these legal mandates, the FCC has long held that ‘the public interest is best served by permitting free expression of views.’ Rather than suppress speech, communications law and policy seeks to encourage responsive ‘counter-speech’ from others. Following this principle ensures that the most diverse and opposing opinions will be expressed, even though some views or expressions may be highly offensive.”
From Politifact, after Carr’s remarks:
“The commissioner’s comments were widely interpreted as being addressed to ABC, Kimmel’s employer, and the network’s independently owned affiliates. The independent stations, as well as ABC — because it’s a network that also owns stations — fall under the FCC’s purview.
Before ABC announced it was halting Kimmel’s show, two companies that own a range of ABC affiliates, Nexstar and Sinclair, said they would be preempting his show. Nexstar is seeking FCC approval for a merger with Tegna, while Nexstar and Sinclair are asking the FCC to repeal a rule that limits any broadcasting company from reaching more than 39% of U.S. households.”
ABC then issued a brief statement saying that Kimmel’s show was being taken off the air, telling NPR: “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely.”
Monday, Sept. 22
ABC announced that the show would be reinstated on Sept. 23, issuing this statement:
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country … . It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive,” the statement said. “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
The Free Speech Center newsletter offers a digest of First Amendment and news-media news every other week. Subscribe for free here: https://bit.ly/3kG9uiJ