Jimmy Kimmel says his Charlie Kirk remarks were ‘maliciously mischaracterized’

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Honestly, I thought Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night show on ABC was in serious trouble last month. All the backlash from his comments after the news about Charlie Kirk was intense, and I really figured it might be the end of the line for him.

Jimmy Kimmel shared that he told his wife, ‘It’s over,’ during a recent interview at the Bloomberg Screentime media conference in Hollywood, about three weeks after a public controversy.

The comedian, age 57, has always believed his comments about the Kirk shooting were taken out of context. However, he realized his show was facing serious problems on September 17th when he was temporarily removed from hosting duties, and two major television station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair, initially decided not to broadcast the episode.

Jimmy Kimmel shared new information about his conversations with Disney executives, his recent break from work, and the challenges facing late-night television, especially after CBS announced the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” next spring.

Jimmy Kimmel wouldn’t say if he plans to continue hosting his show on ABC after his contract ends in May, but he did mention he’s interested in working on other television projects.

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SAG-AFTRA and WGA protest the decision to pull the late-night show after FCC chairman’s threats.

Jimmy Kimmel faced uncertainty last month when his remarks sparked strong protests and a political debate. This highlighted issues surrounding free speech, the responsibilities of the Federal Communications Commission, and the difficulties Disney is experiencing as it searches for a successor to CEO Bob Iger.

The issue started after Jimmy Kimmel’s September 15th show, where he said people who support Donald Trump were trying to distance themselves from a young man accused of attacking Charlie Kirk, and were using the situation to gain political advantage. This comment sparked outrage among conservative figures, with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr calling it deeply inappropriate.

Kimmel stated that the way his message was presented was deliberately and, he believes, intentionally twisted to be harmful.

He didn’t believe the first reactions were a major issue, instead describing them as an exaggeration by certain right-wing media outlets.

Jimmy Kimmel intended to address his controversial comments on September 17th, but Disney executives worried he wouldn’t back down and might make the situation worse. As a result, about an hour before the show was scheduled to begin, Disney cancelled it with no immediate plans to reschedule.

He was off the air for four days.

“I can sometimes be aggressive. I can sometimes be unpleasant,” he said.

He understood the show was in trouble after Sinclair and Nexstar pulled out. It reminded him of a time early in his career when he joked that Detroit basketball fans might riot if the Pistons won, and he’d rooted for the Lakers hoping to avoid that.

The comment caused outrage in Detroit, leading the local ABC station to temporarily stop airing Kimmel’s show.

Back then, an ABC executive warned Jimmy Kimmel that losing viewers in Detroit would be a major blow. However, that concern seems small compared to the potential loss of Nexstar and Sinclair – two companies that own many TV stations in large cities like Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Kimmel explained that when he learned he wouldn’t have around 40 affiliated stations, he felt like that was the end of everything.

But he said he “was not going to go along” with demands made by station broadcasters.

Right-leaning broadcaster Sinclair stated they wouldn’t air Jimmy Kimmel’s show until he publicly apologized to the Kirk family and made a personal donation to both the Kirk family and Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by Kirk.

Both Sinclair and Nexstar resumed airing the show Sept. 26. ABC offered no concessions.

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I joined my fellow Writers Guild members today in New York City, right outside ABC headquarters, to show our support for Jimmy Kimmel. We’re protesting ABC’s decision to suspend him and letting them know we stand with him.

Jimmy Kimmel praised Dana Walden, Disney’s co-chairman of entertainment, for her support during a difficult time, explaining she helped him process his feelings.

I really disrupted Dana’s weekend with constant phone calls. Looking back, I don’t think things would have worked out as well if I hadn’t talked to her so much. It helped me process everything and see things from everyone’s perspective.

Jimmy Kimmel said it wouldn’t be smart to speculate about who might be Disney’s next CEO when asked about it.

“But I happen to love Dana Walden very much, and I think she’s done a great job,” Kimmel said.

During the disagreement, both Walden and Iger faced strong criticism, with many claiming Disney was giving in to pressure from President Trump, who is known to dislike Jimmy Kimmel. People accused the Disney executives of prioritizing corporate interests over their principles.

Look, as someone who’s been following this whole situation, I have to say the past three weeks have been incredibly rough for the folks at Disney, my bosses. It felt completely over the top, frankly. And I really hope this whole thing sends a clear message – a firm boundary – about what we, as Americans, are willing to tolerate. It’s about drawing a line in the sand, and I think we needed to do that.

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Okay, so the host of that late-night show is back! After a brief removal from the air following some controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist, he’s returned to the screen. It was a quick break, but definitely a moment everyone was talking about.

Kimmel returned Sept. 23 with an emotional monologue that championed the 1st Amendment.

Ratings soared.

The recent issues surrounding Stephen Colbert – and CBS’s decision to stop his show – have highlighted how much influence late-night hosts still have, even though fewer people are watching compared to the past.

These days, a lot of people watch late-night comedy clips – like monologues and skits – on YouTube the next day. This shift means the TV networks that make those shows are missing out on advertising money, as Google earns most of it from those online views.

Networks acknowledge the late night block is challenged, but Kimmel said such shows still matter.

He dismissed reports claiming Stephen Colbert’s show might lose $40 million this year, pointing out the sources were anonymous.

Kimmel stated that if CBS had lost $40 million on a show, it would have been canceled by now. He added that he’s familiar with the budgets of shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC.

He explained that if the company was losing a significant amount of money, they wouldn’t be able to continue operating, and that was the most important thing to understand.

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For Subscribers

Furor over Jimmy Kimmel exposes challenges for Bob Iger’s Disney successor

As a huge Disney fan, the whole Jimmy Kimmel situation really highlights how much pressure the next CEO is going to be under. Bob Iger has big shoes to fill, and it’s clear whoever takes over will be facing some really tough decisions right away. It’s not just about creative vision, it’s about navigating these kinds of public issues too, and that’s a huge challenge.

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2025-10-09 16:32