Danica Patrick celebrated ABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel from the air indefinitely after his remarks about the death of Charlie Kirk, posting 'Human decency is coming back. Thank god' on social media and sharing an old Charlie Kirk quote about Kimmel. Kirk, a conservative activist and MAGA influencer, was fatally shot last week while speaking to students at Utah Valley University.
ABC said it suspended Kimmel for comments about Kirk's death and about the alleged political leanings of the suspect in the case. The shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, appeared in court Tuesday on multiple charges including aggravated murder, after being taken into custody. Investigators have said that Robinson held far-left ideologies and was in a romantic relationship with his transgender roommate, a detail Kimmel had referenced in his monologue.
Deadline reported that Kimmel was set to address the remarks on his show Wednesday night before ABC made the call to pull the program. Nexstar, the ABC affiliate group, said it "strongly objects" to his comments and will replace the show with other programming in its markets. The decision comes as a chorus of voices on both sides of the political spectrum weighed in on the episode and the broader question of accountability for on-air remarks.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that he was considering an investigation into Kimmel and ABC over the comments, a claim Carr echoed later in interviews on Fox News. Carr said he was simply "suffering the consequences" of the host's remarks, framing the case as a test of network responsibility.
Reaction online was mixed. Some celebrities, including many with liberal leanings, defended Kimmel and argued that critics were attacking free speech. Others framed the suspension as evidence of cancel culture, while still others focused on the seriousness of Kirk's death and the need for careful discourse. Patrick, meanwhile, tweeted and posted on Instagram that the move represented a return of decency and highlighted a 2017 Kirk post labeling Kimmel "not funny."
Portnoy's response added another layer to the conversation. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy wrote on X that the situation highlighted what he called hypocrisy in cancel culture, arguing that punishment for offensive remarks in real time is not the same as cancel culture. Portnoy also noted that he had fired a staff member earlier this week for sending a message to Kirk's family, a detail that colored the broader debate about consequences versus censorship.
The case has quickly evolved into a broader discussion about accountability, free speech, and partisan narratives in late-night television. As prosecutors and investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding Kirk's death, media figures across the spectrum reassessed what constitutes responsible commentary and the line between satire and inflammatory rhetoric. The shooter's court appearance and the ongoing investigation remain central to the story, even as Patrick's post underscored how social media amplifies immediate reactions to high-profile media incidents.