Broadcasters Stand Ground Against Disney, Refuse To Air Jimmy Kimmel After Charlie Kirk Comments

Following Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, two of the largest broadcasting groups in the United States have decided they will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! — even after Disney announced the show’s return.

The controversy began last week, when The Walt Disney Company halted production of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Disney said it had made the decision after Kimmel’s comments, which included criticism of the “MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize” Kirk’s alleged killer “as anything other than one of them.”

The host also mocked President Donald Trump’s response to a question about the death of his friend, after Trump said he was doing “very good” and referenced a ballroom being built at the White House. Kimmel quipped: “Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend.”

The backlash was immediate. Nexstar and Sinclair declared they would no longer carry Jimmy Kimmel Live! and demanded Kimmel make a public apology to Kirk’s family, as well as a donation to his conservative nonprofit, Turning Point USA. Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr escalated matters when he appeared to threaten retaliation against the networks and Disney-owned ABC if they allowed the show to air.

Carr’s comments raised alarms across the political spectrum, with critics warning about government censorship of protected free speech. Many customers joined the fray, canceling Disney+ subscriptions and Disney vacations in protest of what they saw as the company caving to political pressure.

President Donald Trump also weighed in, blasting the comedian and downplaying the suspension as a simple business decision: “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. They should have fired him a long time ago, so you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”

Amid the controversy, Disney revealed on Monday that Kimmel’s show would return on September 23. The company said its decision to pause the program was to “suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” adding that Kimmel’s remarks were “ill-timed and thus insensitive.” According to Disney, “thoughtful conversations” had taken place with Kimmel (and his legal team), though no mention was made of whether the comedian planned to meet broadcaster demands.

That same day, Sinclair Broadcast Group responded with its own announcement. “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,” the company stated. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”

On Tuesday, Nexstar followed, issuing a similar statement:

“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an enviornment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve. In the meantime, we note that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”

With both Sinclair and Nexstar refusing to air the show, approximately 23% of American households will not see Kimmel’s return on live television. Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw (@lucas_shaw) confirmed the news on X (formerly known as Twitter):

NEW: Nexstar will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live, joining Sinclair. The show will air on ABC in dozens of major markets.

NEW: Nexstar will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live, joining Sinclair.

The show will air on ABC in dozens of major markets. pic.twitter.com/R1sMjBPjri

— Lucas Shaw (@Lucas_Shaw) September 23, 2025

Shaw also noted that “Kimmel will address the controversy at the top of his show tomorrow. I wouldn’t expect an apology or an escalation.”

Kimmel will address the controversy at the top of his show tomorrow.

I wouldn't expect an apology or an escalation.

— Lucas Shaw (@Lucas_Shaw) September 22, 2025

Jimmy Kimmel Live! is scheduled for 11:35 p.m. EST / 10:35 p.m. CST on ABC. At this time, about 77% of markets will still carry the broadcast, while others can access clips on YouTube, ABC platforms, or full episodes through streaming services like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo.

What did you think of Jimmy Kimmel’s initial comments after the assassination of Charlie Kirk? Let Disney Dining know in the comments.