Bronwen K. Bradshaw, Arts & Entertainment Editor 

Image from Variety 

On Wednesday, September 17th, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s Jimmy Kimmel Live off air due to remarks on the assassination of prominent conservative content creator Charlie Kirk. FCC chair Brendan Carr, on a podcast hosted by conservative commentators, Benny Johnson and Scott Jennings, described his disgust with Kimmel’s remarks. Carr told Johnson and Jennings that ABC could handle Kimmel’s actions “the easy way or the hard way,” which suggested FCC involvement in Kimmel’s suspension from his talk show. That afternoon, Jimmy Kimmel’s show was pulled by executives out of fear of losing their ABC affiliate broadcast licenses.  

What did Kimmel say that was so vulgar and disrespectful that it resulted in his show being canceled? On Monday, September 15th, during his monologue, Kimmel remarked on MAGA and conservatives in the media exploiting Kirk’s death for political gain. Kimmel said MAGA is “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 shifts the conversation towards those “grieving” the content creator’s death, including President Trump, who was asked in an interview about his well-being in the aftermath of Kirk’s death. Trump answers “good” and proceeds to discuss the construction being done on the White House.  

Kimmel is not the only late-night talk show host to face cancellation for speaking on political subject matter. In July of this year, CBS announced its cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which is set to end its run in May of 2026.  

During the aftermath of Kimmel and Colbert’s cancellations, Trump took to Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, stating, “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” Trump wrote. “Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!” 

After Kimmel’s cancellation, the other late-night show hosts remarked on the ordeal. In his monologue, Seth Meyers, Host of Late Night with Seth Meyers, commented on Trump’s crackdown on freedom of speech. On Thursday, Meyers jokingly said, “I’ve always admired and respected Mr. Trump,” showcasing the newfound fear of cancellation that the remainder of talk show hosts feel brewing from their own broadcasting networks.  

Jon Stewart from The Daily Show dressed his studio to look like Trump’s new golden-plated White House decor, and with mock fearful eyes, complimented the President and “defended” him against the studio audience. The episode opens with an announcer calling the show, “the all-new, government-approved Daily Show, with your patriotically obedient host, Jon Stewart.” Throughout Stewart’s monologue, he shooshes the crowd and mockingly bows down to the “powers that be.”  

Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, praised Jimmy Kimmel and discussed the uncertainty of late-night talk shows as we know them. Fallon performs his monologue, and whenever Trump is mentioned, the comedian is “censored” from any negative jokes or comments about the President.  

The New Yorker states that, “By now, it’s clear that the Trump Administration intends to radically reshape America.” Not only has the Trump presidency tried to silence late-night talk shows, but other institutions as well.  “Cultural institutions are very much a part of that agenda, which has seen a deformation of the Kennedy Center, a forced resignation at the National Portrait Gallery, and censorship at the Smithsonian,” the article continues.  

This censorship and cancellation of Kimmel and Colbert has sparked a frenzy of discussion over the rights to free speech and freedom of the press. Their networks should protect Kimmel and Colbert, not be tossed aside due to fear of the government. How can we call this America and hold our government accountable if the President intimidates those opposed to remain silent? Thankfully, NBC has not taken any action against Meyers or Fallon but increasing concern over what the media and television can say about our government is growing. This censorship of politically driven talk shows cannot be chalked up to “fake news” but must be seen as an inherent disregard for what this country was founded on. You do not have to agree with the political statements of Kimmel or Colbert, but they should be protected by our First Amendment and not subjected to authoritarian methods of silencing.  

I hope that this will spark action from individuals and other networks to protect the late-night forum from overbearing oligarchs that feed fear into our media sources and restrict critical commentary on governmental interference.