September 18, 2025 | 05:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been suspended indefinitely from ABC following remarks made by host Jimmy Kimmel about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The controversy drew criticism from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and prompted ABC, part of Nexstar Media Group, to announce that the program will be pulled from its affiliate stations.
Kimmel’s Remarks on Charlie Kirk’s Murder
The incident occurred during the Monday, September 15, 2025 broadcast, when Kimmel commented on the suspect in Kirk’s murder, Tyler Robinson, describing him as a MAGA Republican. His remarks came amid widespread speculation on social media that liberals despised Kirk and were responsible for the attack.
“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,” Kimmel said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Kimmel also aired a clip of former President Donald Trump responding to reporters’ questions after the shooting.
Trump referred to Kirk as his “friend” and offered condolences, before digressing: “I think very good, and by the way, right there where you see all the trucks, they just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House.e,” according to People.
Response to Trump’s Statement
Kimmel followed with a dark quip mocking Trump’s demeanor. “Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief, construction.Demolition, construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, okay?” he said.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr condemned Kimmel’s comments, calling them “the sickest behavior that could possibly occur.”
In an interview, Carr suggested that ABC affiliates could face repercussions.
"What people fail to understand is that broadcasters have licenses granted by the FCC, and that comes with the obligation to operate in the public interest. When we see things like this, look, we can do it the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change behavior, especially for Kimmel,” he warned.
In response, Nexstar Media Group issued a statement confirming the suspension. “Nexstar strongly opposes Mr. Kimmel’s recent comments regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk and will replace the program with another show in the ABC affiliate market,” the company said. Nexstar currently operates 28 ABC affiliates across the United States.
According to a source cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Kimmel had planned to address the backlash on his Wednesday night broadcast, clarifying his remarks and explaining how they were taken out of context. However, the suspension meant he never had the chance.
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