Former Disney chief Michael Eisner issued a pointed critique of ABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live, saying the move reflected what he called out-of-control intimidation by FCC Chair Brendan Carr. In a Friday post on X, Eisner did not name Bob Iger, Disney's current CEO, but framed the episode as a test of leadership and the defense of the First Amendment against political or financial pressure.
Eisner wrote that 'Where has all the leadership gone?' and urged corporate executives and university presidents to stand up for the First Amendment. He described the decision to suspend Kimmel 'immediately after the Chairman of the FCC's aggressive yet hollow threatening' as an example of out-of-control intimidation. He did not single out Iger by name, but his remarks targeted the leadership culture at Disney during a period of high-profile scrutiny of the company's standards and ties to regulatory threats.
The suspension followed controversy over a Jimmy Kimmel monologue that referenced Charlie Kirk and drew sharp reactions from political conservatives and media watchdogs. Disney, led by Iger and Dana Walden, decided to pull the plug on the late-night program indefinitely, citing staff safety, affiliate relationships and advertiser concerns. ABC told affiliates the program would be 'preempted indefinitely.' Carr publicly pressed Disney, suggesting the company could face additional scrutiny from the FCC if it did not act, and later said affiliates were free to drop the show if they deemed it contrary to the public interest. Kimmel and his staff prepared for a longer hiatus as negotiations continued behind the scenes.
Eisner’s association with Iger is historically fraught. Eisner led Disney from 1984 to 2005, steering the company through a creative renaissance that ended amid a shareholder revolt and a fractious succession battle. Iger, then Disney president, ascended to the CEO post in 2005 after the board moved to replace Eisner. The relationship between the former and current leaders has been described by analysts as professional but strained, with Eisner occasionally backing Iger in public in recent years while remaining critical of how Disney handled the succession.
The Kimmel case has drawn reaction from across the political spectrum. Senator Ted Cruz criticized Carr’s stance, saying the threats to Disney resembled actions more suitable for a mob boss than a regulator. Cruz’s comments echoed the intensity surrounding the dispute, in which Nexstar—owner of many ABC affiliates—moved to preempt the show and Sinclair signaled it would not carry Kimmel absent an apology. Inside Disney, some executives reviewed Kimmel’s Wednesday monologue and concluded it could escalate the situation, according to reports. Kimmel refused to retract or apologize, and neither the production team nor the network provided an estimated timeline for reinstatement.
Insiders told Bloomberg News that negotiations between Disney and the show’s producers continued as executives waited to see whether political sentiment cooled before deciding on a reentry plan. Bloomberg also noted that Kimmel, who remains under contract, had not commented publicly beyond social media posts defending his monologues. The Post and other outlets have reached out for comment from Disney, Iger and the FCC.
The episode underlines the broader tension in American media between free-speech protections and regulatory pressures in a polarized political environment. While Eisner’s critique adds a high-profile voice to the debate, Disney has shown in recent years that it is closely watching regulatory signals as it navigates its portfolio of networks, streaming services and creative partnerships.
