Actor James Woods publicly attacked Jimmy Kimmel on X in the wake of Kimmel’s indefinite removal from ABC. Kimmel was yanked from the network Wednesday after he made controversial comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, including a false claim that the killer was a MAGA supporter.
Woods launched a series of posts that questioned Kimmel’s talent and the show’s fortunes. In one post, he wrote: “We’ve all made jokes at Jimmy Kimmel’s expense. But Mr. Kimmel is a fellow artist, and I am in fact heartbroken to see the way he has been treated. I believe he is, in his heart of hearts, a good and decent fellow, devoid of malice and hate,” then added, “Just kidding, Jimbo. Eat s--t.” Woods, who has about 5 million X followers, saw the posts rack up millions of views—about 5.3 million views and 235,000 likes.
On Friday, Woods shared The Post headline “Stephen Colbert declares ‘Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel’ in solemn show dedicated to canned late night host,” and quipped “He’s right. You’re all douchebags.” That same day, the 78-year-old actor posted a clip of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes,” where Walz called Kimmel’s firing “North Korea-style stuff” that “has no place in America.” “Guys, enough is enough. Kimmel was fired because his show was a massive money loser. He was supposed to be funny, and no one was laughing. It couldn’t be simpler,” Woods posted alongside the video.
In the broader social-media exchange, Woods has previously used X to profess support for President Donald Trump, including posts in November celebrating Trump’s victory with messages like, “May God bless America and may He protect President Trump!” The page also featured Woods’ critical framing of liberal commentary around Kirk’s murder and Kimmel’s response. Earlier this year, Woods posted visuals that accompanied his political views, continuing a pattern of outspoken commentary on the platform.
Woods returned to the topic again on Friday by pinning a photo to the top of his X page of Kirk surrounded by a group of young Black supporters in front of a Turning Point USA banner, with the caption “This is my America. Remember Charlie Kirk.”
The dispute comes as Kimmel’s show remains off the air, with ABC not yet announcing a replacement time slot for the late-night program. Kimmel’s comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk had sparked a wide outcry and precipitated questions about the boundaries of political humor and the responsibilities of late-night hosts. The network’s decision to pull the program indicated the seriousness with which ABC treated the remarks and the ensuing controversy.
Woods’ posts add a high-profile burst of online commentary to a broader cultural moment in which late-night hosts, media figures, and political figures are often the subjects of vocal public disputes. The exchange also highlights James Woods’ continuing presence on social media as a platform for rapid, provocative commentary, a pattern that has characterized his public persona for years.
