Jimmy Kimmel's late night show taken off air over Charlie Kirk comments: Decoding the controversial episode

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show has been taken off the air indefinitely by Walt Disney-owned ABC network over his controversial remark about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Confirming the news, an ABC spokesperson said, “ Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely.” This action came after Nexstar of ABC-affiliated TV stations in the US shared it would not broadcast ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ for “the foreseeable future”. Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s death “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.

Kimmel’s controversial monologue on Charlie Kirk’s assassination

In the show, Jimmy slammed Republicans for politicising Kirk’s assassination and said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the Maga gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Jimmy Kimmel LIED to his audience by claiming Charlie Kirk’s assassin is MAGA.

I’m tagging @jimmykimmel @JimmyKimmelLive so we can all demand he apologize & tell his audience the truth.

pic.twitter.com/F6INfxac6B

— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) September 17, 2025

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Criticising Trump’s mourning of Kirk, he said,  “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish,” adding, “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

Trump mocks Jimmy

Praising ABC’s decision, President Trump shared on social media, “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 Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT,” he added.

Statement of White House deputy chief

Taylor Budowich, the White House deputy chief also welcomed ABC’s decision as he wrote on social media, “Welcome to Consequence Culture. Normal, common sense Americans are no longer taking the b———- and companies like ABC are finally willing to do the right and reasonable thing."

Charlie Kirk was shot dead by Tyler Robinson on September 10 during an appearance at a campus event in Utah.