ABC has indefinitely pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! From the airwaves. FCC chairman Brendan Carr took issue with Kimmel’s comments on Benny Johnson’s podcast. In some unsubtle statements, he urged ABC to discipline Kimmel. “There are avenues here for the FCC, so there are some ways in which I need to be a little careful, because I could be called wholly to become a judge on some of these claims that come up.”
Carr continued, “Frankly, when you see stuff like this, I mean, we can do this the easy way, or these companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, or Kimmel, or these going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
In the face of these comments, NEXSTAR made the choice to drop Jimmy Kimmel Live! And show other content in that time slot instead. Intrepid Internet sleuths think they’ve discovered why the affiliate carrier made such a swift move to appease the FCC and Carr.
Jimmy Kimmel’s actual comments
To be fair, here’s what Kimmel said that has drawn all this ire. The videos of his monologue are still up on YouTube as well. Since the announcement of pulling the show was made, social media is awash in opinion. But, that was going to be the case regardless.
Kimmel 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.”
This move follows CBS’s decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s late-night show. CBS cited “low ratings” in that decision. All eyes are monitoring ABC for more of a statement than Jimmy Kimmel Live! being pulled indefinitely.
More on this story as it develops…
Photo Credit: ABC
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