Jimmy Kimmel and Disney execs could not agree on the correct response to take in the fallout from the comedian’s remarks about the death of Charlie Kirk, resulting in the cancellation of his late night show, reports say.
Kimmel was reportedly due to make a statement during Wednesday’s show, but neither side could agree on language that would not exacerbate the situation further by the time taping was due to begin, sources told Reuters.
It came after comments made by the talk show host in his monologue Monday sparked fierce backlash online and led to death threats that raised concerns for the safety of Kimmel and his staff, the source said.
ABC has since suspended Kimmel’s show “indefinitely.”
During the monologue, Kimmel, who has frequently targeted Trump, said: “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.”
Despite negotiations over what Kimmel should say Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-Chairman Dana Walden ultimately agreed that the best approach would be to take the show off the air, Reuters reports.
According to sources, the decision left the comedian “livid.”
The intention was to find a way to bring Kimmel back at a later date, and Bloomberg News reported Thursday that executives are due to meet with the comedian to discuss the future of his show.
Following ABC’s move to pull the show, many in Hollywood decried the decision, saying the company was bowing to political pressure and that it was an assault on free speech. Kimmel has seen support from multiple celebrities, including fellow late night hosts David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Stephen Colbert, whose show is being canceled next year.
Colbert called ABC‘s decision to pause Kimmel’s show “blatant censorship” and said he stands with his colleague “100 percent” at the taping of his CBS show Thursday night.
However, despite the furore, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, said Wednesday that Kimmel had misled viewers about the alleged shooter’s MAGA affiliation. Carr also raised the possibility that the FCC could revoke the broadcast licenses of local television stations that carry such “garbage.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said in an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel.”
During a state visit to the UK Thursday, President Donald Trump, said Kimmel had been punished for saying “a horrible thing” about Kirk.
