ABC has pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after a monologue in which host Jimmy Kimmel referenced the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and suggested political points were being scored from the incident.
Kimmel’s remarks, delivered during a Monday-night monologue, drew swift criticism for what some described as a partisan framing of the killing and for mocking the process of mourning by political opponents. He cited coverage that described the suspect’s act in a way that aligned with a broader political narrative and commented on how the White House responded in the wake of Kirk’s death, including the flag at half-staff.
This week, the network confirmed the show would be pre-empted in ABC-affiliated markets “for the foreseeable future,” with Nexstar Media Group—an ABC affiliate partner—saying it would replace the program in its stations’ lineups. Nexstar described the comments as unacceptable and noted the decision to preempt would extend to tonight’s broadcast in its markets. Jimmy Kimmel Live! has aired on ABC since 2004.
Kimmel’s quips extended to clips of former President Donald Trump responding to questions outside the White House while the program played a taped montage. Among the lines attributed to Kimmel during the segment was a joke about Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s death, and a subsequent gag about renovations and a chandelier—noting the president’s remarks as part of a broader critique of the administration’s handling of the incident. The monologue also included a line characterizing the president’s grief journey as involving construction, a jab that drew additional scrutiny from critics and viewers alike.
The incident occurred after Charlie Kirk was shot dead on Sept. 10 on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The ensuing backlash highlighted the tension between late-night entertainment and political discourse, with critics arguing that the remarks crossed a line in the coverage of a public figure’s death. In response to the outrage, ABC stated that the show would be halted indefinitely, while Nexstar indicated it would replace Kimmel’s program with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets until further notice.
The decision follows a broader pattern in which entertainment and political commentary intersect in the current media environment. Kimmel’s program has long been a staple of ABC’s late-night lineup, but the controversy underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by hosts who blend humor with real-time political events. As the industry watches how networks handle similar incidents, the temporary suspension of a long-running late-night show marks a notable moment in culture and entertainment reporting.
As the network-led fallout continues to unfold, observers will be watching to see how ABC and Nexstar recalibrate their late-evening slate and whether Kimmel returns to the air in the near term. The episode has already sparked discussions about the boundaries of satire, the responsibilities of late-night hosts, and how media organizations balance editorial judgment with audience expectations during times of national controversy.
