ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after host Jimmy Kimmel commented on the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, a move that drew a vocal response from Conan O’Brien. The suspension was confirmed by an ABC spokesperson to The New York Post, who said the show will be pre-empted indefinitely following Kimmel’s remarks.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at age 31 while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University on September 10. In the wake of Kirk’s death and the comments that followed, Kimmel’s remarks prompted the network to pull the show from the schedule.
O’Brien publicly supported Kimmel on social media Friday, using his post to condemn the suspension and to warn that efforts to silence late-night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb people across the political spectrum. O’Brien described the move as wrong and noted that such actions set a troubling precedent for free expression in late-night television.
The development has placed a spotlight on the boundaries of political commentary in entertainment television and the potential consequences when hosts cross lines drawn by networks. The Post notes that this is a developing story, with industry observers watching for further official statements and potential responses from other late-night figures.
