The entertainment world was buzzing when news broke about Jimmy Kimmel’s show being pulled off the air. Now, a huge group of A-list celebrities is showing their strong support for him in a powerful open letter.
The suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” happened on Wednesday, September 17. This followed Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk, the alleged killer Tyler Robinson, and President Donald Trump’s response to a recent tragedy. Kirk, a conservative political activist, had been shot and killed at a Utah Valley University event on September 10. He was 31 years old. A spokesperson for ABC confirmed the indefinite suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to Us Weekly. Nextstar Media, which owns many TV stations, reportedly threatened to drop Kimmel’s show from its lineup. The company told Variety in a statement that it “strongly” disagreed with “recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk.” Us Weekly reached out to Kimmel for his side of the story.
In response, more than 400 celebrities quickly signed an open letter, shared through the ACLU website. It started with a bold statement: “We, the people, must never accept government threats to our freedom of expression.” The letter argued that when leaders try to pressure artists, journalists, and businesses with punishment for what they say, it attacks the core idea of living in a free country.
The message continued, calling Kimmel’s suspension a “somber moment for free speech.” It pointed out that “Last week, Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air after the government threatened a private company with retaliation.” The letter claimed that “Our government has tried to silence critics by threatening the jobs of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creators, and entertainers in general.” It stressed that this “goes against the values our nation was built on and what our Constitution promises.”
The letter highlighted that “this moment is bigger than us and our industry.” It warned that many others, including “teachers, government employees, law firms, researchers, universities, students, and many more,” are also facing “direct attacks on their free speech.” It added that “No matter our political party, or if we get involved in politics, we all love our country.” The letter emphasized a shared belief: “those in power should never silence our voices — because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.” The stars finished their message by saying, “This is the time to stand up for free speech across our entire country.” They urged “all Americans to join us, along with the ACLU, in the fight to protect and keep our constitutional rights.”
Among the 400 celebrities who signed were big names like Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Jean Smart, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, and Meryl Streep.
Other late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver, have since spoken out about the news. On his show Thursday, September 18, Fallon shared his thoughts. “Well, guys, the big news is that Jimmy Kimmel got suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC,” he stated, adding it left everyone wondering, “WTF.” Fallon even joked, “This morning I woke up to 100 texts from my dad saying, ‘I’m sorry they canceled your show.’ I told him, ‘That’s not me, that’s Jimmy Kimmel.'” He added, “But, to be honest with everyone, I don’t know what’s going on, and nobody does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, caring, and funny person, and I hope he comes back.”
Fallon then talked about worries that hosts might stop speaking their minds or face censorship. He tried to cover the President’s trip to the UK as usual, saying, “Here we go. Well, guys, President Trump just finished his three-day trip to the UK and he looked…” Before he could finish, a voice-over quickly added, “Incredibly handsome.” This moment clearly showed the uneasiness felt across late-night TV.