Fox News contributor Kat Timpf criticized the idea that the government should police speech after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely following Monday's remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. ABC announced the suspension on Wednesday, saying the show would not air for the foreseeable future after Kimmel described the 'MAGA gang' as trying to gain political points from the incident.
Speaking on Gutfield! on Thursday, Timpf argued the FCC should not be involved in content moderation and that its role must be narrow. "The FCC are actually not supposed to be engaging in the nuances of content moderation. Its scope is supposed to be very narrow," she said. While noting she is "certainly no fan of Kimmel," she stressed she does not support removing his show from the air. "I hated his comments," she said, "I thought that they represented a stunning lack of touch with reality. I do have a lot of personal reasons why maybe you think I'd be cheering this but I'm not." She also said the FCC's involvement signals "undue influence" on speech and criticized the idea that "an arm of the federal government" should decide when a program can be shut down.
She added that many Democrats who defend free speech in other contexts did not object to government pressure in this case, but she said she remains a "free speech absolutist." Timpf later posted the clip to Instagram, writing, "This isn't about politics or personal feelings, it's about the FCC engaging in content moderation."
On Wednesday night the ABC decision was announced that Kimmel Live! would be suspended "for the foreseeable future." The remarks about Kirk's murder, and Kimmel's critical characterization of the "MAGA gang" and the president's reaction, were cited as triggering the pause. Former President Donald Trump quickly weighed in on social media, saying the "ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED" and congratulating ABC for taking action. ABC and its affiliate group Nexstar said they would replace Kimmel in affected markets as well.
The suspension has drawn concern about First Amendment implications, drawing support and opposition from Hollywood figures. Several stars publicly pushed back against the decision, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Stiller, Henry Winkler and Alison Brie, who joined a chorus of voices arguing that broadcasters should not bow to content complaints.