Jimmy Kimmel was spotted for the first time following the news of ABC suspending his late night show.
Kimmel, 57, was photographed driving in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 18. He was seemingly in good spirits as he was all smiles while navigating a parking garage.
The late night host wore black sunglasses and a casual all-black ensemble while out and about.
Kimmel’s public outing comes one day after Us Weekly confirmed that ABC “indefinitely” pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air following the comedian’s remarks about Charlie Kirk’s death on Monday, September 15. (Kirk died on September 10 after being shot while at a speaking event on a college campus in Utah. He was 31.)
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“The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said in his Monday monologue. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
Kimmel cut to a clip of President Donald Trump, who was reportedly close to Kirk, being asked by a journalist how he was doing after the Turning Point USA cofounder’s death.
“I think very good,” Trump, 79, said before pivoting the conversation to the new ballroom being built in the White House.
Kimmel joked that Trump was “at the fourth stage of grief: construction.”
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend,” Kimmel quipped. “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish. OK?”
Trump, who has complained about Kimmel and other late night hosts criticizing him over the years, took to social media to share his thoughts on ABC’s decision.
“Great news for America: The rating challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” the president claimed via Truth Social “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 [Fallon] and Seth [Meyers], two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
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While Trump celebrated online, other stars have voiced their support for Kimmel. Ben Stiller commented, “This isn’t right,” alongside a news article shared via X. Comedian Wanda Sykes wrote, “Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.”
Stephen Colbert, whose late show was canceled earlier this year despite winning multiple Emmys, reportedly stood up for Kimmel and his team.
“This is blatant censorship,” Colbert said during the Thursday, September 18, episode of his late night talk show, per People. “With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100 percent.”
