❓WHAT HAPPENED: Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show on ABC was directly suspended by Disney CEO Bob Iger following backlash over his controversial monologues.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jimmy Kimmel, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden, and affiliate station owners Nexstar and Sinclair.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The suspension occurred on Wednesday, with the decision made at Disney headquarters.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If Jimmy went on the air, there would have been no way back from that monologue for Jimmy.” – Anonymous source
🎯IMPACT: The suspension aims to protect Disney’s brand amid significant viewer and local affiliate backlash.
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was reportedly preparing to deliver a controversial monologue defending his false remarks regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination before ABC suspended his show this week. The monologue was set to address backlash stemming from Kimmel’s earlier comments, though the late-night host is believed to have not run the plan past senior executives at ABC or its parent company, Disney.
An unnamed source, speaking to the media, described the planned monologue as “very hot” and stated it would have targeted President Donald J. Trump’s MAGA supporters. The source added, “If Jimmy went on the air, there would have been no way back from that monologue for Jimmy. We didn’t want that. Everyone deeply values him and wants him to come back. But he has to take down the temperature.”
Kimmel’s plan was eventually discovered by Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden, who stepped in and suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! in order to protect the Disney brand from any continued controversy. The Disney CEO has recently been making drastic cuts to programming and staff that he sees as hostile to the company’s audience.
Notably, two major local broadcasters that control around 80 ABC local affiliates, Nexstar and Sinclair, announced they would drop Kimmel from their programming line-up. The affiliate revolt likely played a significant role in Iger’s decision to pull Kimmel.
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