The Hollywood community widely condemned ABC pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show off the air due to the host’s comments about the killing of controversial pundit Charlie Kirk.
The controversy erupted due to comments that Kimmel made in his monologue on Monday, September 15, over conservatives’ reactions to 22-year-old Tyler Robinson being arrested on September 12 in connection with Kirk’s shooting death.
Robinson is alleged to have shot Kirk during the conservative commentator’s speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10. The shooting suspect was charged with a capital offense, aggravated murder, and felony discharge of a firearm, as well as lesser counts of obstruction of justice, witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. Robinson has not yet entered a plea but will remain in custody at Utah County Jail without bail at least until a waiver hearing on Monday, September 29.
While addressing Robinson’s arrest, Kimmel told viewers on September 15: “The MAGA gang [is] 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. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
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A spokesperson for the Disney-owned ABC confirmed to Us Weekly on September 17 that “Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be pre-empted indefinitely,” in the aftermath of two of the nation’s largest TV station operators, Nexstar Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group, vowing not to air the show on their local affiliates.
More than 90,000 people signed a MoveOn.Org petition calling for Kimmel’s reinstatement in the first two days after his suspension. Many celebrities — including David Letterman and other late night hosts — publicly complained that Kimmel’s suspension was unfair, while others have directly called for boycotts of Disney until Jimmy Kimmel Live! is allowed back on air.
Keep scrolling for a rundown of stars who are boycotting Disney in the wake of Kimmel’s suspension.
Tatiana Maslany
The Emmy winner played Marvel superhero Jennifer Walters in the Disney+ series She-Hulk and was expected to reprise her role in the MCU in the future.
Maslany posted a photo of herself, as She-Hulk, in a motion-capture suit to acknowledge her connection to Disney. She then encouraged her followers to “cancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions” via her Instagram Story.
Damon Lindelof
The three-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer’s groundbreaking series Lost aired on ABC and is now available to stream via Disney+ and Hulu, the latter of which is owned by Disney Streaming.
Lindelof penned an impassioned defense of Kimmel via Instagram on September 18, calling the late night host “caring and empathic and grateful.”
“You know he loves his country. You know he appreciates a good roast and he can take as good as he gives,” the Leftovers and Watchmen writer added. “You know he supported his crew through multiple strikes and you know he is generous and philanthropic and most of all, you know that he is kind.”
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The Lost cocreator insisted that he’d been “shocked, saddened and infuriated” by ABC’s decision to bench Kimmel — and vowed not to work with Disney until the matter was resolved.
“I look forward to [the suspension] being lifted soon,” he continued. “If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it. If you’re about to fire up in my comments, just ask yourself if you know the difference between hate speech and a joke. I think you still do. And Jimmy? You’ve ALWAYS known what you were doing. Love you and support you.”
Lindelof received support from The Leftovers actress Amy Brenneman, comedian Bobcat Goldthwait and Watchmen star Frances Fisher, among others.
David S. Goyer
The cowriter of Christopher Nolan‘s Dark Knight trilogy and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice replied to Lindelof’s Instagram post to confirm that he too would refuse to work with Disney until Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned.
“Add me to the list. Also cancelled Disney Plus and Hulu,” he announced.
Amy Landecker
The Transparent actress tagged Disney+ in an Instagram post confirming that she’d canceled her subscription to the streaming service.
Sierra Swan
The former Black Eyed Peas member replied to Landecker’s Instagram post to promise that she too would cancel her Disney subscriptions.
“Yup. This [is] how we start,” Swan commented.
Howard Stern
The radio host declared during the September 22 episode of The Howard Stern Show that he had taken action against Disney.
“Now it might sound stupid, but the thing I did this morning, I’m canceling my Disney+. I’m trying to say with the pocketbook that I do not support what they’re doing with Jimmy,” he said.
Stern’s cohost Robin Quivers said she plans to cancel her subscription, as well.
