Jimmy Kimmel Show To Return Days After Suspension Over Charlie Kirk Remark

Jimmy Kimmel's late night talk show was suddenly taken off air last week.

Washington:

Jimmy Kimmel's late night talk show, which was suddenly removed from broadcasting last week following US government threats to broadcasters, will return on Tuesday, Disney announced Monday.

ABC's abrupt suspension of the show, which is owned by Disney, followed conservative complaints about Kimmel's comments after the shooting of Christian activist Charlie Kirk.

"Last Wednesday, we decided to suspend production on the show to prevent further escalation of a tense situation during an emotional time for our country," a company statement explained.

"We made this decision because we felt certain comments were poorly timed and therefore insensitive.

"After spending the past days having meaningful conversations with Jimmy, and following these discussions, we have decided to bring the show back on Tuesday."

Kimmel's unexpected disappearance from television, apparently resulting from government pressure on ABC's distributors, sparked outrage among liberals in America, with critics claiming Kimmel was targeted because he frequently criticizes President Donald Trump.

Trump had expressed satisfaction about Kimmel's removal, calling it "Great News for America."

Critics viewed this as another step toward increasing government control over free speech, which many Americans consider fundamental and is protected by the country's constitution.

Some conservatives also expressed concern, including typical Trump allies like Texas Senator Ted Cruz and outspoken broadcaster Tucker Carlson.

Trump has often complained about negative media coverage of himself, and recently suggested it was "illegal."

FCC threat

The Kimmel controversy emerged one week after Kirk, a close Trump ally, was fatally shot at a Utah university campus, intensifying the division in polarized America, with conservatives—including Trump—placing blame on "the radical left."

Authorities have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and are not seeking additional suspects.

In his opening monologue last Monday, Kimmel said "the MAGA gang" was "desperately trying to characterize this kid... as anything other than one of them."

He then showed footage of Trump shifting from a question about Kirk's death to boasting about a new White House ballroom, which prompted laughter from the audience.

"This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish," Kimmel remarked.

Two days later, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr threatened the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting Kimmel's show.

"I think it's past time these (affiliates) themselves push back... and say, 'Listen, we're not going to run Kimmel anymore until you straighten this out, because we're running the possibility of license revocation from the FCC,'" he told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson.

Nexstar—one of the country's largest owners of ABC affiliate stations currently undergoing a multi-billion-dollar merger requiring FCC approval—announced it would remove the show from its stations.

Sinclair, another media group that also pulled the show, announced Monday it would not restore it despite Disney's announcement.

"Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming," the company stated on social media, using industry terminology for removing a program.

"Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return."

Hollywood stars

Before Disney reversed its decision on Monday, numerous Hollywood celebrities signed an open letter calling the show's removal "a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation (that is) unconstitutional and un-American."

"The government is threatening private companies and individuals that the President disagrees with. We can't let this threat to our freedom of speech go unanswered," stated the letter by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The letter's signatories included Marvel star Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro.

After Monday's announcement the ACLU welcomed the news, saying: "ABC made the right call."