Jimmy Kimmel has spent more than two decades behind the desk at Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but ABC’s latest move may have just closed the book on his late-night career. The network has decided to indefinitely pull the show from the air following Kimmel’s recent comments about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a decision that, intentional or not, signals the end of an era.
The reasons behind ABC’s choice appear more about optics and politics than morals. Kimmel has never been shy about leaning into political humor, often at the expense of right-wing figures. His latest remarks about Kirk, however, were apparently a step too far for the network. Or, at least, brought on more pressure than ABC deemed worth enduring.
FCC chair Brendan Carr condemned Kimmel's comments on Kirk's murder. Carr argued that licensed stations should reject such content on the basis that it doesn't serve the greater good of communities. He called Nexstar's decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! "the right thing to do," resulting in criticism that Trump's administration pressured another network to ditch its late-night host.
Pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! rather than issuing a slap on the wrist or letting Kimmel explain himself on air sends a clear message that ABC isn’t willing to ride out the backlash. It’s a decision that, in effect, closes the curtain early on a career that has weathered plenty of controversy before.
Kimmel has reportedly been determined to walk away from late-night on his own terms, not to meet the same fate that awaits his fellow host Stephen Colbert. Colbert's deal with CBS ends in 2026, but at least he has time to prepare for his late-night exit. Kimmel wasn't given any warning before ABC took him off the air. His contract is set to expire next year, and he's played coy about his late-night future prior to this suspension.
Kimmel’s fate now exposes an uneasy truth about late-night TV: no matter how long your tenure, the power dynamics are rarely balanced in the host’s favor. Johnny Carson, David Letterman, and Conan O'Brien retired on their own schedules, cementing their late-night legacies. Kimmel, like Colbert, seems destined to have his story end with a forced pause rather than a final goodbye.
And even if ABC changes its mind, Kimmel shouldn’t go back. Returning to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after this suspension would be caving to a network that doesn't have his back. Kimmel has always thrived on authenticity, whether through heartfelt monologues about healthcare and gun violence or sharp jabs at politicians. A comeback to ABC would risk undermining all of it.
No matter how Kimmel envisioned his exit, walking away now would at least preserve the sense that he stayed true to himself rather than bowing to a network that clearly feared retribution more than it appreciated his contributions. For a host who has spent 20 years carving out his own voice, there’s no shame in letting this suspension double as a farewell, especially with so many prominent voices in Kimmel's corner.
ABC hasn’t announced whether Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return or if the network will pivot to a new format altogether. For Kimmel, the indefinite suspension will likely come off to fans as a quiet cancellation. After more than 20 years, it’s hard to imagine him returning to the desk only to serve out the remainder of his contract. And if he does, the narrative will no longer be about his legacy, but rather ABC’s decision to undermine its late-night host.
If this is truly the end, Kimmel leaves behind one of the most distinct voices in late-night, blending traditional celebrity interviews with political urgency and emotional sincerity. But it won’t be the ending he imagined. Instead of a farewell season or a heartfelt sign-off, his career in late-night looks to have been ended by a corporate calculation.