Jimmy Kimmel, the familiar face of late-night television, might be returning to our screens sooner than expected. He is currently in talks to bring back his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was recently pulled from the airwaves.
Kimmel, 57, and Disney are working toward an agreement. Disney owns ABC, the network that carries Kimmel’s talk show. Variety reported this news, citing several sources close to the discussions. They claim Kimmel’s team is actively talking with network executives about getting Jimmy Kimmel Live! back after its suspension.
Neither Kimmel nor Disney has publicly confirmed if Jimmy Kimmel Live! will make a comeback. Us Weekly reached out to both for their comments. News broke on Wednesday, September 17, that Kimmel’s show had been removed from ABC’s schedule. An ABC spokesperson confirmed this to Us Weekly, stating, "Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be suspended indefinitely."
The show’s sudden halt came after Nexstar Media reportedly threatened not to broadcast it. Nexstar owns many local stations affiliated with ABC. The media company stated its strong disapproval of Kimmel’s recent remarks. These comments were about the murder of Charlie Kirk. Nexstar planned to air other programs instead of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old right-wing political activist, founded Turning Point USA. He was shot and killed in early September. Days later, on his Monday, September 15, monologue, Kimmel spoke out. He accused conservatives of hitting "new lows" by trying to link Tyler Robinson, who is in jail for Kirk’s murder, to the far-left movement.
"The MAGA gang is desperately trying to portray this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as someone who is not one of them," Kimmel said. "They are doing everything possible to politically capitalize on it. Among accusations, there was grief."
Kimmel’s comments quickly drew anger from Brandon Carr. Carr is the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is an independent U.S. agency. It regulates radio, television, and cable communications.
Carr spoke on The Benny Show, openly calling for Kimmel’s suspension. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Carr stated. "These companies can find a way to change their conduct and take action regarding Kimmel, or there will be additional work for the FCC going forward."
Kimmel has remained silent in public about both Carr’s statements and his show’s suspension. However, fellow late-night host David Letterman offered a glimpse into Kimmel’s state of mind.
Letterman, 78, shared an update at the Atlantic Festival in New York City on Thursday, September 18. "I’ve heard from Jimmy," Letterman said. "He was kind enough to write me this morning. He’s sitting in bed taking sustenance. He’ll be fine."