Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the latest late night show to get the ax by its network, a divisive violation of the first amendment. After the host made comments about the killing of activist Charlie Kirk, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! off air indefinitely, and fans and activists alike are outraged. Keep reading for more information.
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! Pulled Off Air
Tyler Robinson, 22, shot and killed conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk while he was speaking at Utah Valley University. Robinson was raised in a conservative Republican family that were known supporters of Trump.
On the September 15th episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, host Jimmy 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."
Two days later, ABC announced it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air. Donald Trump celebrated, speaking at a conference in England: "Jimmy Kimmel was fired 'cause [...] he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk."
And on Truth Social, he encouraged other networks to take down their late night hosts: "Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!"
And again, speaking to journalists: "I would think maybe their license should be taken away," he said, referring to broadcasters who provide "negative" coverage of him."
After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like. https://t.co/uts7JpJZzN
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 18, 2025
Social Media Reactions
Regardless of if they are even fans of Jimmy Kimmel Live! social media users around the world are outraged that the show has been taken off air for commentary against Donald Trump's administration and supporters, with many calling it blatant violation of the first amendment, which defends freedom of speech.
Former president Barack Obama released a statement on his social media accounts: "After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like.
On his podcast, Ted Cruz also spoke out against ABC: "I think it is unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying we’re going to decide what speech we like and what we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off air if we don’t like what you’re saying."
Ordinary citizens expressed their outrage too, writing things on social media like, "America turning into a dictatorship at lightning speed," and "So Charlie Kirk can be praised for 'just speaking his opinion' but when someone else does it they get fired?"
"Are you kidding me?" another user wrote on a video of the exact monologue Kimmel delivered. "THIS is what got him fired? America is f*cked. We have an unhinged authoritarian for a president and no one is doing a thing about it."
