Jimmy Kimmel Live! Lives

Kate Liebl ‘26

Lead Editor

In the span of a week, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was killed and then revived again by Disney Executives, following a comment surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk. 

The saga began on the September 15 airing of the late night show. Kimmel spoke on the political efforts of Donald Trump and the MAGA party to paint the unknown shooter as “anything other than one of them.” Later in the broadcast, he showcased an interview with President Trump on his reaction to Kirk’s murder, in which he responds with details on White House construction.

Two days later, on September 17, Kimmel’s show was officially pulled from the air by Disney executives, after deeming his comments ill-timed and insensitive. The decision to pull Kimmel’s show was also influenced by threats from FCC chairman and Trump appointee, Brendan Carr.

After the decision, Disney faced intense backlash for suppression of freedom of speech. Consumers protested the decision by cancelling Disney+ subscriptions and attending protests outside Disney studios. 

Kimmel’s show was decided to return to the air on September 23, after thoughtful conversations. While many protesters are satisfied with the reinstatement, others question if the network will continue to pull shows at the advice of the Trump administration.  

Protesters gather outside the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio, demonstrating against the show's cancellation.