Gutfeld Presses Kimmel After ABC Suspension Over Comments on Charlie Kirk
Fox’s late-night star amplifies the outcry as ABC’s suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” triggers affiliate pushback, union protests, and an FCC-tinged political fight.
Greg Gutfeld escalated his criticism of Jimmy Kimmel after ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in the wake of the comedian’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying on air that Kimmel “didn’t imply [the shooter was MAGA], he said it,” and predicting that “if he doesn’t address what he did, he’s done.”
ABC suspended the show indefinitely after several affiliates balked at airing it, a move that followed public condemnation from the head of the Federal Communications Commission and came amid an intensifying political fight over media speech. The suspension drew swift praise from former President Donald Trump and prompted a wave of responses from Hollywood figures and unions who framed the action as a free-speech issue.
Kimmel’s monologue earlier in the week focused on reactions to Kirk’s assassination and included a suggestion about the suspect’s politics that critics called inaccurate and inflammatory; affiliates led by Nexstar soon said they would not carry the show, and audience members were turned away shortly before taping.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr labeled Kimmel’s comments “truly sick” while hinting at regulatory consequences for ABC and its parent company, Disney, which has business before the agency. Supporters of Kimmel countered that the FCC has no authority to police late-night monologues and accused the administration of exerting pressure on broadcasters; Democratic lawmakers called for Carr’s resignation.
Gutfeld, whose late-night program leads its time slot on cable, seized on the fallout across multiple Fox programs, arguing that Kimmel crossed a line and must publicly correct the record. As industry figures rallied behind Kimmel, advocacy from guilds and celebrities framed ABC’s decision as chilling, while the network faced competing pressures from affiliates and Washington.
The episode has widened a long-running feud between rival late-night camps and highlighted how broadcast decisions can become flash points in election-season politics. According to the Associated Press, Kimmel has not commented publicly since the suspension.
