ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely, canceling Wanda Sykes' scheduled appearance at the last minute as the show was about to tape. The decision, announced on Wednesday, follows government complaints about a Kimmel monologue that referenced the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and drew pushback from officials.
Wanda Sykes appeared in an Instagram video wearing makeup, explaining that she was set to chat with Kimmel but the program was pulled. In the clip, she said: "I was supposed to go over and have a chat with my friend Jimmy Kimmel on his show, but as you have heard by now, the Jimmy Kimmel show has been pulled indefinitely, abruptly, because of complaints from the Trump administration." Then: "So, let's see, he didn't end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week but he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy."
An audience member who arrived as the taping was about to begin told the Associated Press that staff did not disclose details, and that the cancellation was announced only as attendees stood at the doors. "They waited to pull the plug on this right as a studio audience was about to walk in," the person said. "They didn’t tell us what had happened, they just said that the show was canceled. Initially, my concern was, ‘I hope everyone’s okay, no one got injured.’"
ABC announced the suspension of Kimmel’s show on Wednesday after complaints from government officials about a recent monologue that drew ire from FCC chair Brendan Carr. The monologue, which criticized political discourse surrounding Charlie Kirk and MAGA figures, prompted Carr and others to urge networks to enforce stricter standards for late-night hosts. In the wake of the decision, Trump celebrated on Truth Social, calling it “Great News for America” and urging that Kimmel’s fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon be pushed out of NBC.
The network did not specify a return date, and the broader cultural conversation around late-night satire and political commentary continues to play out amid ongoing debates about speech, accountability, and the boundaries of entertainment in times of heightened political polarization.