Jimmy Kimmel's Show Criticized for Charlie Kirk Comments

US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel faced backlash for comments about Charlie Kirk, leading to his show being pulled by ABC's parent company, Disney. Kimmel accused Donald Trump and his allies of exacerbating tensions after Kirk's recent assassination. Nexstar, the network operator, decided to stop broadcasting Kimmel's show due to the "offensive and insensitive" nature of his remarks. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar's broadcasting division, criticized Kimmel's comments as inappropriate during a sensitive time in national politics.

Kimmel highlighted what he saw as hypocrisy in the response of Republicans, including Trump and Vice President JD Vance, to Kirk's death. The suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, who appeared in court for the first time, reportedly held negative views about Kirk, a prominent figure in the MAGA movement. Kimmel also referenced the Capitol rioters' actions towards Mike Pence during the certification of Joe Biden's election win, questioning whether it was the liberal left or the Capitol rioters who stormed the building on January 6.

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and a Trump supporter, threatened action against Disney and ABC in response to Kimmel's remarks. Trump himself expressed support for the cancellation of Kimmel's show, criticizing Kimmel's talent. The removal of Kimmel's show follows a similar fate for late-night host Stephen Colbert, whose program was canceled after criticizing Trump. CBS announced the end of The Late Show, with Trump praising the decision and disparaging Colbert's talent. Despite the cancellation, Colbert's show recently won an Emmy for outstanding talk series.