What started as just another late September evening near the heart of Hollywood quickly transformed into a political flashpoint outside the historic El Capitan Theatre — a location closely tied to Disney and home to Jimmy Kimmel Live!for the better part of two decades. This week, dozens of demonstrators showed up in front of the theater in a high-visibility protest against Disney, following ABC’s controversial decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel from the air.
Protesters lined the sidewalk with handmade signs reading “Bob Iger Is Not a Man — He’s a Mouse” and “Disney Bows to Trump,” while traffic along Hollywood Boulevard responded with a chorus of honking in support. The mood was passionate but peaceful, and while the protest didn’t devolve into chaos, its symbolism was loud and clear.
This unexpected eruption outside a Disney-affiliated space highlights just how complex — and increasingly political — the entertainment landscape has become, especially when business decisions intersect with national politics and billion-dollar broadcast rights.
How We Got Here: A Quick Recap
On the surface, it’s a situation that looks like “cancel culture” — and in some ways, it is. But the full story behind Jimmy Kimmel’s removal from air involves a tangle of business, politics, and media power plays.
Last week, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! following comments the host made regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. While Kimmel’s remarks reportedly criticized the political reaction, not the act itself, the backlash was swift and came from powerful corners — most notably the Trump administration and allied conservative figures.
The suspension sparked immediate uproar online and in the press. But what raised eyebrows was not just the response itself — it was the context.
According to reporting from Michael McCarthy at Front Office Sports, the move may have had less to do with the substance of Kimmel’s remarks and more to do with a major media deal Disney is attempting to finalize.
NFL Deal Looming Over Disney’s Decisions
The key tension centers around Disney’s tentative deal with the NFL, announced last month. Under the proposed agreement, ESPN would take control of several NFL media assets, including the NFL Network, while the NFL would receive a 10% equity stake in ESPN. While regulatory approval is still pending, sources suggest the deal is expected to go through — if Disney avoids stirring too much controversy during the approval window.
That, according to insiders, is where Kimmel becomes a liability.
If Disney reinstates Kimmel — who has been openly critical of the Trump administration and conservative politics — it could complicate the approval process. With political pressure already mounting, some believe Disney made a calculated move: remove a high-profile critic, lower the heat, and secure the deal.
This has not gone over well with fans, free speech advocates, or even parts of Hollywood.
MoveOn Petition and Mobile Billboard Campaign
In response to the suspension, MoveOn Civic Action — one of the largest progressive advocacy organizations in the U.S. — launched a petition demanding ABC and Disney reinstate Jimmy Kimmel and commit to rejecting government censorship. Within 24 hours, the petition collected more than 100,000 signatures, making it MoveOn’s fastest-growing campaign of the year.
As part of the protest effort, MoveOn also launched a mobile billboard truck that circled high-profile locations in Los Angeles, including:
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El Capitan Theatre (Hollywood)
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Disney’s Glendale offices
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ABC’s Prospect Studios
The billboard featured rotating messages such as:
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“We’re With Jimmy and Free Speech”
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“Dictators and Executives Aren’t Funny. Jimmy Kimmel Is.”
According to MoveOn, these actions are just the beginning if Disney does not reverse course.
Celebrity Reactions: Mark Ruffalo Weighs In
The suspension has not gone unnoticed by Hollywood insiders. Actor Mark Ruffalo, known for playing the Hulk in the Avengers franchise, took to Threads with a sharp warning to Disney after its stock saw a reported 7% drop following the suspension announcement.
View on Threads
“It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show,” Ruffalo wrote in a repost of the stock report. “Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.”
Kimmel’s sister, Jill Kimmel, also replied to Ruffalo, praising his stance.
While Ruffalo stopped short of calling for a full boycott, many social media users did not. In replies to the post, several commenters threatened to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions, abstain from future Marvel films, or otherwise withdraw financial support from Disney properties.
One viral comment read:
“You were supposed to fight the Sith, not join them!” — a Star Wars reference that turned into a widely repeated protest sign outside the El Capitan.
The Broader Media Landscape
Kimmel’s suspension is not an isolated case. Earlier this year, CBS parted ways with Stephen Colbert in a similarly controversial move, which critics also described as politically motivated. Cuts to public broadcasting and funding pressures at NPR have added to the sense that a larger, coordinated shift is underway — one that critics say is being orchestrated to suppress dissenting voices in media.
MoveOn spokesperson Britt Jacovich put it plainly in the group’s official statement:
“Whether you are a celebrity like Jimmy Kimmel or a local community activist, this administration is determined to silence anyone who disagrees with them and their extreme political agenda.”
Jacovich added that the trend reflects “a direct attack on our freedom of speech” and warned that major corporations enabling political censorship are playing a dangerous game.
What’s at Stake for Disney?
From the outside, Disney’s brand might still be about pixie dust, family values, and immersive experiences. But internally, executives are juggling an extraordinarily complex set of competing priorities: political relationships, business partnerships, media licensing rights, stockholder demands, and public image.
For many, the Kimmel decision feels like a crossroads. Reinstating him could reignite political pressure and possibly complicate the NFL partnership. But keeping him off the air sends a message that Disney is willing to sacrifice principles to maintain access and profit.
The company has not yet issued any public comment about Kimmel’s future, and Bob Iger — Disney’s CEO — has remained notably silent.
That silence is only increasing the speculation.
As the protest movement gains momentum both online and on the streets, Disney is finding itself in a position it rarely occupies: under intense political, public, and celebrity scrutiny all at once. Whether this ends with Jimmy Kimmel back behind his desk or with more calls for corporate accountability remains to be seen.
But if Thursday’s crowd on Hollywood Boulevard is any indication, this issue won’t disappear quietly.
For fans, employees, and even passersby, the question lingers:
Is Disney still the House of Mouse — or has it become the House of Censorship?
