It’s official: Jimmy Kimmel Live is not just on a coffee break—it’s been shoved into an indefinite coma by Disney and ABC. What triggered this media blackout? A Monday-night monologue in which Kimmel dared to suggest that Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer might have been a Republican. Cue the sound of MAGA pearls clattering to the floor in synchronized horror.
The Joke That Wasn’t Funny—At Least to MAGA
Kimmel’s crime against comedy (and apparently humanity) was his riff on how the “MAGA gang” was scrambling to spin Kirk’s assassination. His quip? That conservatives were doing everything they could to make sure the killer wasn’t branded “one of them.” It was dark, political humor—the bread and butter of late night. Except this time, the bread was moldy and the butter came with FCC fingerprints.
Enter the FCC: Brendan Carr Plays Culture Cop
Within hours, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appeared on a far-right webcast to scold Kimmel, pressure ABC, and dangle the idea of regulatory punishment over Disney’s head like a guillotine. Because nothing says “small government conservatism” quite like using federal power to cancel comedians. Carr even called Kimmel’s bit “some of the sickest conduct possible,” which—let’s be honest—sounds less like a media review and more like a church sermon about TikTok.
Nexstar’s Revolt: Affiliates Say “No Kimmel for You”
Adding fuel to the fire, Nexstar—owner of a bunch of ABC affiliates—announced it wouldn’t air Jimmy Kimmel Live. Roughly two dozen stations opted for reruns of Judge Judy instead, leaving Disney in a panic. The Mouse House then did what Disney does best: caved faster than a cheap lawn chair in a Florida hurricane. The show was pulled nationwide. And just like that, late-night TV lost another loudmouth.
Trump’s Long-Game Against Late Night
Let’s not pretend this was spontaneous. Trump allies have had Kimmel in their sights for weeks. When Stephen Colbert was axed earlier this year, Trump gleefully predicted Kimmel would be next. Call it clairvoyance, call it coincidence—or just call it Trump’s favorite pastime: making comedy great again by killing it.
Free Speech? Only If It’s Approved Speech
Here’s the rub: ABC is a private company, so technically, Kimmel can’t cry “First Amendment” against his employer. But when the FCC chairman is out there threatening to yank broadcast licenses over a joke, we’ve crossed from “corporate decision” into “government-approved censorship.” The irony? The same crowd shouting about “cancel culture” has now mastered it like a dark art, complete with federal endorsement.
The End of Kimmel—or Just the Beginning of His Podcast Era?
So where does this leave Jimmy Kimmel? Off the air, unemployed, and probably one podcast deal away from becoming Joe Rogan’s sarcastic liberal cousin. Disney may be hoping to bury the controversy before advertisers bolt, but the bigger story is the precedent: comedians are now fair game for political takedowns.
Because nothing screams “land of the free” like a government regulator deciding which jokes are allowed after 11 p.m.
