'Jimmy Kimmel Live' returns after six-day suspension

ABC’s late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” suspended over comments regarding the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, will resume after six days. Disney, ABC’s parent company, made the decision following criticism from U.S. political figures that the network had yielded to threats against press freedom under the Trump administration.

According to The New York Times and other reports on Sept. 22, Disney said in a statement, “After several days of in-depth discussions with Jimmy Kimmel, we have decided to resume the show on Sept. 23.” A Disney official reportedly met with Kimmel on Sept. 22 to finalize the timing of the show’s return and his comeback statement, The Wall Street Journal reported.

On the Sept. 15 broadcast, Kimmel said, “The MAGA gang, Trump’s core supporters, is trying to define the person who killed Kirk as someone other than themselves for political gain,” drawing backlash from the MAGA camp. Brendan Carr, a Federal Communications Commission commissioner appointed by Trump, also warned ABC that its broadcast license could be revoked.

On Sept. 17, ABC announced it would suspend the show, prompting criticism that the move undermined press freedom. Five Hollywood unions representing 400,000 film and television workers issued a statement condemning Disney as “cowardly.” The Writers Guild staged a protest outside Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, California. Subscribers also canceled Disney+, the company’s streaming service, in protest, and some conservatives voiced concerns about threats to press freedom.

In response to the news of the show’s return, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said on X that it “stands up to human rights abuses by Trump and Brendan Carr.” Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez added, “Thanks to all Americans who opposed efforts to silence press freedom.” Meanwhile, Turning Point USA, led by Kirk’s widow, criticized the decision, calling it “a mistake by Disney and ABC.”

U.S. media also reported that some conservative-leaning local stations might refuse to air “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns numerous ABC-affiliated local stations, said on Sept. 22 that it was “still reviewing the possibility of the show’s return and will air news programming instead on Sept. 23.”