A group of Southland Democratic lawmakers gathered in Hollywood Monday to denounce the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following the host’s comments about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with the elected officials calling the move an assault on free speech.
“The reason that this should concern all Americans is that this administration’s actions could threaten speech for both conservatives and liberals,” Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Los Angeles, said during the late-morning news conference near the El Capitan Entertainment Complex on Hollywood Boulevard, where Kimmel’s show is based.
“This cuts all ways. In fact, even (Republican) Senator Ted Cruz, an official who I agree with very infrequently, recently said that what Trump’s (Federal Communications Commission) did was, quote, `incredibly dangerous.’ … So again this is not a partisan issue, it is an American issue.”
Disney-owned ABC announced last week it was at least temporarily pulling the plug on production on its late-night staple, which has aired since 2004.
During last Monday night’s show, Kimmel addressed the assassination of Kirk and the reaction to it, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
An ABC spokesman confirmed the show’s suspension to multiple trade publications. The action came shortly after Nexstar Media Group issued a statement saying television stations it owns would not air the show in response to Kimmel’s remarks.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said in a statement.
“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr had lashed out at Kimmel last Wednesday, suggesting the agency would consider taking action against ABC affiliates that continued to air Kimmel’s show. Carr, appearing on a podcast, said affiliates should refuse to air Kimmel due to “the possibility of license revocation from the FCC.”
Sinclair, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate group, said last week its stations would not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on any of its stations until “formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.”
The company also called upon Kimmel “to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”
There has been no direct response from Kimmel.
Among those taking part in Monday’s gathering in support of Kimmel were Reps. Ted Lieu, Judy Chu, Nanette Barragán and Gil Cisneros. They were joined by members of the Writers Guild of America; the Directors Guild of America; the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); and the Teamsters, discussing the impact of Kimmel’s suspension on the industry in general.
“Free speech is not a suggestion or a footnote, it is the very first amendment of the Constitution,” Friedman said. “Put first because the founding fathers in their wisdom understood just how important it was in a democracy to have free speech. This was the government that they envisioned and we have kept healthy for almost 250 years. It’s clear that Trump’s allies think the First Amendment comes with an asterisk. They think that it means you get free speech as long as Donald Trump likes it.”
Trump last week hailed ABC’s move on his Truth Social site, writing “Great news for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is cancelled. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has zero talent and worse ratings than even (Stephen) Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth (Meyers), two total losers, on fake news NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged last week with murder, and prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty if he is convicted.