Former Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) CEO Michael Eisner voiced his support for Jimmy Kimmel after ABC, a Disney-owned network, suspended Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely.
Eisner Reacts
The show’s suspension came in response to remarks Kimmel made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
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In a statement shared on Friday and reported by CNBC, Eisner criticized FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, accusing him of using "out-of-control intimidation" against Disney and ABC in the hours leading up to the decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air on Wednesday night.
“The ‘suspending indefinitely’ of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC’s aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation,” Eisner wrote in a post on X.
“Maybe the Constitution should have said, ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one's political or financial self-interest.’ By-the-way, for the record, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny,” Eisner added.
Impact on Disney
Following news of Kimmel's suspension, Google Trends data showed searches for "cancel Disney+" and "cancel Disney plus" hit 12‑month highs, while "cancel Hulu" searches also spiked.
Rising search volumes of this kind often signal potential subscriber churn, which could mean financial losses for Disney's streaming platforms.
Though the suspension might improve relations with the White House, Disney now risks reduced viewership, declining advertising revenue, and weakened subscriber numbers.
President Donald Trump, who frequently clashed with Kimmel, said the host's show ended more from poor ratings than talent issues.
Trump called Kimmel untalented and insisted the suspension was justified.
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