Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspended indefinitely: What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk?

After Stephen Colbert, it’s time for Jimmy Kimmel to say ‘goodbye’ to his late-night TV show – at least for now.

Late-night television in the United States is reeling after a major controversy: Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been suspended indefinitely by ABC. The firing point? Comments made by Jimmy Kimmel about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The move comes after major ABC affiliates refused to air the show, calling Kimmel’s remarks “offensive and insensitive.” The network said it will pre-empt the show in favor of other programming for the foreseeable future.

What happened

On September 17, 2025, ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be preempted indefinitely after host Jimmy Kimmel made remarks about the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The move followed calls from major ABC affiliates, including media giant Nexstar, to stop airing the show over what they called insensitive and offensive commentary.

What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk?

On Monday night, during his opening monologue, Jimmy Kimmel accused those in “MAGA-land” of trying to “capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” He said they were attempting to frame the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, as something other than “one of them” and using the tragedy for political leverage.

As his monologue went:

“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 also criticized the reaction of President Donald Trump and others, saying, Trump’s response was “not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend.” He added, “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”

Kimmel even called out Vice President J.D. Vance for blaming “the left” for Kirk’s death.

He also mocked the way some figures handled the investigation, saying it was like “a kid who didn’t read the book, BS’ing his way through an oral report.”

What followed

Nexstar Media Group, which owns many of the local ABC-affiliated stations, said it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, meaning those stations will stop airing it “for the foreseeable future.” They called Kimmel’s words “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse” and said they didn't reflect the values of many communities.

Nexstar’s president, Andrew Alford, stated that continuing to air Kimmel’s show under those circumstances was “not in the public interest” and said that pulling it would help “let cooler heads prevail.”

ABC followed suit, formally deciding to suspend the show indefinitely. They have not issued a detailed public response beyond confirming the suspension.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Carr, weighed in as well. Carr suggested that local broadcasters who air content they consider to violate public-interest norms could face regulatory consequences, including possible fines or license revocation.

What’s ahead

Jimmy Kimmel Live’s suspension comes exactly two months after CBS shocked audiences by announcing it would end The Late Show – hosted by Stephen Colbert – after a 33-year run (22 under Letterman, 11 under Colbert). As for the reason for the cancellation, the network cited financial losses, $40 million annually, and a whopping $100 million budget as the rationale. The cancellation, supposedly driven by financial pressures, is set to take effect in May 2026, coinciding with the usual end of the TV season.

Notably, this decision to axe the top-rated late-night program came just weeks after CBS’s parent company, Paramount, settled a lawsuit with President Trump, raising questions about Colbert's future, given his frequent criticisms of Trump on air.

Now, after exactly two months, Jimmy Kimmel is set to face the same wrath.

For Jimmy Kimmel Live!, this is a serious blow. The show has been a late-night staple on ABC for over two decades. The indefinite suspension leaves its future uncertain. Kimmel’s contract is due to expire in May 2026, which adds to speculation about what comes next.


These back-to-back incidents highlight the intersection of political commentary in entertainment with public responsibility. When a host frames a national tragedy in political terms, affiliates, networks, and regulators may view this as crossing a line, especially if comments are deemed divisive or politicized in a way that “offends” portions of the audience. In a way, it demonstrates the power of affiliate station owners.


For Jimmy Kimmel, this indefinite pause creates a definite uncertainty.

Although his contract is due to expire in May 2026, the question looms: Will the show return? With or without him? If so, will the content or approach change? If yes, is this the beginning of censoring free speech and controlling the public narrative via popular consumption?