Jimmy Kimmel is no stranger to controversy, but Disney executives don’t seem to mind. The late night host is here to stay thanks to a new deal.
The deal comes after a dispute following Kimmel’s comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which triggered heavy-handed involvement and ultimate concession on the part of the Trump administration.
Jimmy Kimmel renews his contract with Disney
According to TheWrap, Jimmy Kimmel is here to stay despite the pressure to remove him from late night TV. He has just renewed his contract through to May 2027, which adds a year onto his current contract.
Kimmel’s comments back in September triggered a furious response from the Trump administration, including comments from FCC chair Brendan Carr, who appeared on the conservative podcast The Benny Show just hours before ABC announced it would pull Jimmy Kimmel Live from the air.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."
Hours after Kimmel’s suspension, Nexstar Media, one of the biggest TV station owners in the U.S., said it would no longer air Kimmel’s show, calling his remarks “offensive and insensitive”; Carr publicly thanked Nexstar for their decision. Poynter reports that for several months now, Nexstar has sought FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna and has even adopted Trumpian buzzwords as part of this campaign, declaring themselves to be “the anti-fake news.”
Following Nexstar’s decision, Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the U.S., announced it would air a special Charlie Kirk remembrance program during Kimmel’s typical Friday time slot. According to News Week, Sinclair also urged Kimmel to apologize directly to the Kirk family, as well as "make a meaningful personal donation" to Turning Point USA.
Predictably, President Trump declared victory on Truth Social:
"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 rating 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 DJTDonald Trump, September 18th
"
Kimmel was reinstated, but the controversy looms large
Kimmel, then, was ultimately suspended on Wednesday, Sept. 17, then reinstated on Tuesday, Sept. 23; Kimmel appeared emotional in his monologue but did not apologize for his comments, calling them “ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.” In the aftermath, Nexstar and Sinclair’s ostensibly financially nuanced involvement in the controversy has raised concerns about jawboning, an illegal practice wherein government officials pressure private companies to suppress free speech. It has also ignited discourse about the purpose of the FCC and the extent to which the government should play a role in regulating late-night television.
In Trump’s comments on Kimmel’s reinstatement, he appeared to brag about potentially employing the FCC to personally enrich himself.
These developments represent a hard pivot from the Republican Party on free speech. Mainstream conservatives once championed the First Amendment on issues like January 6th, transgenderism, and Black Lives Matter, but have adopted a more censorious stance when it comes to critics of the Trump administration.
This could be a win for Jimmy Kimmel and late night TV.