Furious Crowds Chant “ABC Grow a Spine!” Outside ABC Studios in New York After Jimmy Kimmel Show Suspension Sparks Outrage
The anger outside ABC Studios in New York was impossible to miss. Dozens of furious protesters lined the sidewalks, waving signs, shouting chants, and demanding accountability from the network that pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air. The phrase that echoed over and over again was sharp and relentless: “ABC grow a spine! ABC grow a spine!”
The protests erupted after ABC announced the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in the wake of backlash surrounding his remarks on the death of Charlie Kirk. The network insisted the move was necessary after pressure from affiliates like Nexstar, which owns dozens of ABC stations, but that explanation did little to calm tensions. Instead, it sparked outrage and drew critics straight to ABC’s doorstep in Manhattan.
People chanted, waved banners, and called the network weak for bowing under pressure. Signs reading “Trump Must Go,” “ABC is Spineless,” and “Kimmel’s Mouth, ABC’s Cowardice” were hoisted high. It wasn’t just about one late-night show anymore. For many in the crowd, it symbolized something larger: a media giant folding in the face of controversy and leaving Americans with even less trust in the system that claims to inform and entertain them.
The scene was tense but electric. Protesters weren’t asking politely; they were demanding answers. Speakers with bullhorns shouted about corporate hypocrisy, blasting ABC for claiming to stand for free voices and bold comedy but cutting ties the moment it became inconvenient. “You can’t say you stand for truth and then silence your own host,” one man shouted. “This isn’t about comedy anymore—this is about control.”
ABC, already reeling from the decision, now finds itself in the center of a storm that doesn’t appear to be dying down. Online clips of the protest have spread quickly, with chants of “grow a spine” going viral across social media. Even those who never tuned in to Kimmel’s show have been pulled into the debate, with some saying this is another sign of corporate media caving to politics and others simply calling the spectacle embarrassing for everyone involved.
Nexstar’s refusal to air Kimmel’s show after his comments, calling them “offensive and insensitive,” set off the domino effect that led to the suspension. But outside ABC Studios, the protesters made it clear they believe the network should have stood firm instead of collapsing under the weight of outrage. “If they can pull one host today, what will they do tomorrow?” a protester asked. “Who’s really running the show—ABC or the mob?”
As the night went on, the chants grew louder, with cameras flashing and reporters weaving through the crowds. For ABC, the suspension may have been meant to cool down the controversy, but the demonstrations outside their headquarters suggest the opposite: the fire is spreading, and the people demanding answers are only getting louder.
Whether the show is ever reinstated remains unclear. But one thing is certain—the sight of protesters shouting “ABC grow a spine” on the streets of New York will not be forgotten anytime soon. It was a dramatic reminder that decisions made in corporate boardrooms can quickly spill out into the streets, igniting the kind of outrage that no press release can put out.
