Many stars were shocked after news broke that ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s eponymous talk show following the host’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.
An ABC spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 17, that “Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be pre-empted indefinitely.”
The news came in the wake of Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s accused murderer, Tyler Robinson, on the Monday, September 15, episode of his late night talk show. (The Turning Point USA cofounder was shot and killed during a speaking event on a college campus in Utah. He was 31.)
“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,” Kimmel said in his monologue.
What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say About Charlie Kirk? Comments Explained
Nexstar Media, which is one of the biggest TV station owners in America, said in a Wednesday statement to Variety that they planned to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! as the company “strongly” objected to Kimmel’s comments about Kirk.
Prior to the controversial monologue, Kimmel spoke out condemning gun violence.
“Instead of angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” he wrote via Instagram earlier this month. “On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”
Us has reached out to Kimmel for comment.
Keep scrolling to see what stars have said about Kimmel’s indefinite removal:
Josh Gad
On September 19, Gad shared a photo of himself and Kimmel via Instagram while sharing a fiery message to Disney, the company behind his hit animated film, Frozen.
“Hey Disney, that guy on the right has done more for your company than most entertainers,” he wrote. “You have a very clear choice right now and it’s not the one you’re making.”
Olivia Rodrigo
The “Driver’s License” singer took to her Instagram Story on September 20 to address the abrupt suspension.
“So upset over this blatant censorship and abuse of power,” she captioned a post from SAG-Aftra in support of Kimmel. “I stand with Jimmy Kimmel and I stand for freedom of speech.”
Noah Centineo
On September 19, the star of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before shared a screenshot that indicated he had cancelled his Disney+ subscription. “Save money today,” he wrote alongside the screenshot.
Ben Stiller
Stiller retweeted an article of Kimmel’s pause and wrote alongside the piece, “This isn’t right.”
President Donald Trump
“Great news for America: The rating challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” Trump wrote 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 and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
Sophia Bush
Bush reposted the news of Kimmel being pulled off air via X, writing, “The First Amendment doesn’t exist in America anymore. Fascism is here and it’s chilling.”
Danica Patrick
The NASCAR driver, who publicly mourned Kirk, celebrated Kimmel’s removal.
“Human decency is coming back thank god,” she wrote via her Instagram Story, alongside a Newsmax story about ABC pulling the late night show.
Colton Underwood
“This can’t be coming from the party that made its entire identity free speech and no more cancel culture…” Underwood replied in the comments section.
Jonathan Van Ness
The Queer Eye star wrote in Variety’s comments section, “Wow.”
Margaret Cho
“What the actual f,” Cho responded in the comments section of Variety’s Instagram.
Mike Birbiglia
The comedian shared a handwritten note reacting to Kimmel’s removal via Instagram.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in public + private defending comedians I don’t agree with,” Birbiglia penned. “If you’re a comedian + you don’t call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air — don’t bother spouting off about free speech any more.”
Hilarie Burton Morgan
The One Tree Hill actress reacted to the news about Kimmel by resharing California governor Gavin Newsom’s post calling the move “coordinated” and “dangerous.”
Busy Philipps
The actress seemingly reacted to the news by sharing an Instagram post titled the “10 commandments of defiance” to combat “tyranny” and encouraged her followers to “keep showing up.”
Jamie Lee Curtis
The Freakier Friday star shared a quote from Kimmel following the news of his late night show being pulled off air.
“I don’t think anyone should be canceled, I really don’t,” the quote read.
Steve Martin
The actor took to X and shared a passage from The Diary of Anne Frank where Anne Frank wrote, “Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”
Martin added a caption to his post, writing, “And our right to free speech is being eliminated.”
Don Lemon
The journalist shared a video via Threads where he slammed the decision to punish Kimmel by pulling him off the air.
“This is the same party that complains everything is too woke, that comedians can’t say anything anymore, that they’re killing comedy,” Lemon said. “But the folks who complain about killing comedy are the ones killing comedy. What does that tell you? They don’t believe in anything they’re saying. They have no core. This is some scary s***.”
Alex Edelman
The comedian shared a link to an article about the Kimmel news via X, writing, “This is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much.”
Wanda Sykes
The comedian, who had been scheduled to appear on Kimmel’s show the day he was removed from the late-night lineup, shared her thoughts via Instagram. She told her followers that “The Jimmy Kimmel show has been pulled indefinitely, abruptly, because of complaints from the Trump administration.”
Sykes added, “Let’s see. He didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.”
Chris Hayes
The MSNBC host remarked via X, “This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.”
Kathy Griffin
The comedian urged her followers on Bluesky to support Kimmel.
“Please, take it from me, it is very important to have Kimmel’s back right now,” she wrote. “Be vocal. Be an ideological consumer. Money is all their crowd cares about.”
Kevin McHale
“This was all in Project 2025, btw,” the actor remarked via X.
Jean Smart
The Hacks star posted a photo of herself with Kimmel via Instagram, writing in a caption, “I am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live. What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda. Though I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”
Henry Winkler
The actor wrote via X, “@jimmykimmel his humor, his insights are important to keep showing us who we are . AND he is a most wonderful fellow.”
John Legend
On his Instagram Stories, the singer shared a social-media post by political commentator David Frum that read, “How dare you call us fascists just because our appointees threaten government retaliation against broadcast networks if their comedians don’t say what we want them to say.”
Christie Brinkley
“I love these guys!” she wrote. “The laughter they provide us is as important as the air we breath! And they are taking another one of them off the air tonight! WE MUST PROTECT their and OUR 1st Anendnent RIGHTS!!!!”
Shonda Rhimes
The Bridgerton creator posted a quote from Frederick Douglass to her Threads account, alongside a picture of herself on Kimmel’s show.
“No right was deemed by the fathers of the government more sacred than the right of speech. It was in their eyes, as in the eyes of all thoughtful men, the great moral renovator of society and government,” the quote read.
Barack Obama
“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” the former president wrote via Threads. “This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.”
Kerry Washington
The actress posted a picture with Kimmel on Instagram alongside a lengthy caption.
“You’ve supported me, my work, and my voice for years, and I’m endlessly grateful for your friendship, partnership, the laughter, and encouragement. Now it’s my turn to stand with and for you,” she wrote. “Your immense kindness, integrity and generosity inspire everyone around you. What’s happening to you, and across late night is not just unfair, it’s unjust. Silencing voices like yours and @stephenathome goes far beyond just entertainment; it threatens freedom of speech, an independent press, and ultimately, our democracy. You are not alone. I stand with you, my friend. Always.”
Jack Quaid
The actor said that he was sending “support” to Kimmel.
“I’ve had the pleasure of appearing on the show 3 times and each time I was overwhelmed by the generosity and warmth not only from him, but his entire staff,” Quaid wrote. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to our democracy and we must do all we can to protect it.”
Pedro Pascal
“Standing with you @jimmykimmellive,” the actor captioned an Instagram post. “Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY.”
Chrishell Stause
The Selling Sunset star cancelled her Hulu subscription in solidarity with Kimmel.
“Free speech is a beautiful thing,” she wrote via Instagram Stories. “It’s literally a fundamental constitutional right.”
David Letterman
Letterman confirmed that he has “heard” from Kimmel.
“He was nice enough to text me this morning,” Letterman said at the Atlantic Festival in New York City on September 18. “He’s sitting up in bed taking nourishment. He’s going to be fine.”
Stephen Colbert
In his introduction on his September 18 show, Colbert said, “Tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel.” The host also slammed ABC and the FCC chairman Brendan Carr during his opening remarks.
“If ABC thinks that this is gonna satisfy the regime, they’re woefully naive,” he continued. “This is blatant censorship. … With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100 percent.”
Seth Meyers
“I just want to say before we get started here that I’ve always admired and respected Mr. Trump,” Meyers joked during his “A Closer Look” segment on September 18. “I’ve always believed he was a visionary, an innovator, a great president and even better golfer. If you’ve ever seen me say anything negative about him, that’s just AI.”
He continued, “I’m told there’s some clips of me on the internet making jokes about him from a few years back. Those are obviously deepfakes.”
Meyers said his show would continue to air with “enthusiasm and integrity” as always before praising Kimmel.
“It is a privilege and an honor to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, in the same way that it’s a privilege and honor to do this show every night,” Meyers added. “I wake up every day and I count my blessings that I live in a country that at least purports to value freedom of speech.”
Jon Stewart
“We have another fun, hilarious, administration compliment show,” he joked on The Daily Show on September 18, calling himself a “patriotically obedient” host on a “government approved” show.
Jimmy Fallon
Fallon joked that his dad thought his show had been canceled before discussing Kimmel’s situation.
“To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on and no one does, but I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, loving and funny guy, and I hope he comes back,” he said. “A lot of people are worried that we won’t keep saying what we want to say or that we’ll be censored, but I’m going to cover the president’s trip to the U.K. like I normally would. Here we go.”
Fallon then went into a takedown of Trump, in which his voice was abruptly dubbed over with a voice-over praising the president.
Jay Leno
The former Tonight Show host, who had feuded with Kimmel between 2010 and 2017, showed support for his fellow late night TV personality while appearing at Chris Wallace‘s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on September 18.
“I’m on Jimmy Kimmel’s side on that one,” he told reporters, later adding, “You don’t get canceled saying popular things. Usually it’s the truth that winds up getting [you] canceled, so we’ll see what happens.”
Leno continued, “It’s a comedian talking. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. That’s the market. Let the people decide. If people like a show, it stays on the air. I mean, that’s as simple as that.”
Leno also praised Kimmel, saying, “I enjoy Jimmy. I like all the guys. I think they’re really talented. I like jokes. That’s why I watch them. I think Jimmy will land on his feet. He’s a talented guy. He’s funny. And let’s see what happens. Maybe he might be on [TV] in just a couple of weeks again. So, we’ll see.”
He concluded by saying that he’s “for free speech.”
“Patrick Henry said it best: ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ That was the first go-around with this argument. It’s gone on for 200 years, and in a free society, it’ll go on for another 200,” Leno said. “It’ll be alright. Don’t worry about it.”
Conan O’Brien
O’Brien, who has hosted several late night shows throughout his career, shared his thoughts via X on September 19.
“The suspension of @jimmykimmel and the promise to silence other Late Night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the Right, Left, and Center,” he wrote. “It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”
Mark Ruffalo
The Avengers star took a stand against Marvel’s corporate owner by sharing an article about Disney’s shares dropping 7% in the hours after Kimmel was suspended on September 17.
“It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show. Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America,” Ruffalo warned.
John Oliver
“This Kimmel situation does feel like a turning point, and not because comedians are important, but because we are not,” Oliver said on Last Week Tonight, accusing the Trump administration of playing a role in Kimmel’s suspension. “If the government can force a network to pull a late-night show off the air and do so in plain view, it can do a f**k of a lot worse.”
Oliver urged ABC and Disney to “stand by” Kimmel and his staff and addressed Disney CEO Bob Iger directly. “Giving the bully your lunch money doesn’t make him go away, it just makes him come back hungrier each time. They are never going to stop,” he said. “At some point, you’re going to have to try to draw a line. Why not draw it right here?” he added.
