ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! Indefinitely After Nexstar Says His Charlie Kirk Monologue Was “Offensive and Insensitive”
I woke up today to one of those news headlines that hits like a punch: “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has been pulled off the air indefinitely. Nexstar, which owns many ABC-stations across big U.S. cities, announced it will no longer air the show after Kimmel’s recent comments about the death of Charlie Kirk. Watching how fast things moved, how many different actors came out, I felt a mix of shock, curiosity, and worry.
What exactly happened is that in a recent monologue, Jimmy Kimmel criticized what he called attempts by MAGA supporters to distance the shooter in Charlie Kirk’s death from their political identity. He said these folks were trying to characterize the man who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them. That line caught fire. Some people were angry—saying Kimmel unfairly linked the shooter to MAGA. Others said he was speaking truth to power. But regardless of where you stand, the fallout has been swift and large.
Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, released a statement saying that Kimmel’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive” at a time when the country is already deeply divided, especially after a violent act. He said those remarks did not reflect the spectrum of views in the local communities served by the ABC stations under Nexstar. He also said that continuing to give Kimmel a platform right now would not be in the public interest.
ABC has confirmed that the show will be pre-empted indefinitely. For viewers in many markets where Nexstar owns ABC affiliates, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” just won’t air for the foreseeable future. They’ll see replacement programming instead.
I imagine people watching think: is this a freedom of speech issue? Is this about accountability? How far does “offensive” go before a show is removed? Some argue that art, satire, and comedy need room to stretch. Others argue that certain lines, especially in times of national pain or tragedy, should be handled with extra care. I see both sides, and I feel the tension in between.
It’s also notable that this move came alongside comments from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who has publicly criticized Kimmel’s recent remarks and suggested broadcast standards and platform responsibilities are being tested. Some believe that regulatory pressure played a part in Nexstar’s decision.
For Kimmel, this may mark a turning point. He has hosted the show for years, and this is one of the biggest controversies he’s faced in a long time. The show’s removal from so many major markets means fewer viewers, fewer chances to speak through that medium—even if only for laughs. But the decision also reflects just how fragile public trust can be, how fast the rules of what’s acceptable in public discourse seem to shift.
As a viewer, I feel uneasy. I believe in respecting free speech—but I also believe respect matters, especially in how people talk about grief, death, ideology, and blame. And so today I’m sitting here wondering what happens next: Will Kimmel apologize? Will there be adjustments? Will ABC bring the show back in some form? In times like this, what leaders, networks, and hosts choose to do matters—not just what they say.
