NEED TO KNOW
- On Wednesday, Sept. 17, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was indefinitely pulled from ABC, a spokesperson for the network confirmed to PEOPLE
- The decision came after Kimmel’s Monday, Sept. 15, remarks about the death of Charlie Kirk
- After the decision was announced, fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert shared his reaction to the news during his Wednesday, Sept. 17 show.
The news of Jimmy Kimmel Live! being indefinitely pulled is being addressed by Jimmy Kimmel’s fellow late-night hosts.
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, ABC and Nextstar confirmed with PEOPLE that the show would be pulled due to Kimmel’s recent remarks about Charlie Kirk.
After the news of Kimmel’s removal, Stephen Colbert said during his Thursday, Sept. 18 show, “This is blatant censorship.”
“With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch,” Colbert said, adding, “Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100%.”
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ABC’s decision comes two days after Kimmel mentioned Kirk in his Monday, Sept. 15, monologue. Kirk was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was 31.
During the monologue, Kimmel said in part, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
The news of Kimmel’s show comes exactly two months after Colbert, 61, announced that his show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, was canceled by CBS.
CBS’ decision came days after Colbert criticized the network’s parent company, Paramount, during his July 14 episode for its July 3 $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump. The president alleged that CBS News’ 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount was in the process of completing a merger with the entertainment company Skydance, which required approval from Trump’s administration.
After the news of Colbert’s show was shared, Kimmel reacted via his Instagram Stories and shared a clip of Colbert from the Friday, July 17 broadcast and wrote, “Love you Stephen.”
He also took the opportunity to call out the network behind the decision. “F— you and all your Sheldons CBS.”
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