As Jimmy Kimmel Heads Back To Air, And Some Stations Still Preempt Him, FCC Chairman Walks Back (Alleged) Threats To ABC

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Late night talk shows are usually pretty calm, but things heated up in 2025 with conflicts between the hosts and the networks – not between the hosts themselves. This week, ABC is bringing Jimmy Kimmel Live! back on Tuesday nights after a controversial suspension and a lot of public backlash.

Even though the head of the FCC has softened their previous statements – statements many considered a warning – not everyone is willing to cooperate yet. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening.

ABC Announced Jimmy Kimmel Is Returning To Late Night

After many Disney+ subscribers canceled or paused their memberships, executives at ABC’s parent company had a change of plans. They announced that Jimmy Kimmel would return to filming with a live audience starting Tuesday, September 23, and it appears he won’t face any consequences for previous incidents.

Here’s how Disney explained the series of decisions (via Deadline):

We paused production of the show last Wednesday to avoid adding to a difficult and sensitive time for the nation. We felt some recent comments weren’t appropriate for the moment. After careful discussions with Jimmy over the past few days, we’ve decided to bring the show back on Tuesday.

Since his suspension, Jimmy Kimmel has largely stayed out of the public eye, probably to avoid adding fuel to the controversy surrounding his comments about the shooting involving Charlie Kirk. While Kimmel remained quiet, many others publicly supported him, including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, David Letterman, his former co-host Adam Carolla, and surprisingly, even Senator Ted Cruz.

FCC Chairman Reframes Earlier “Easy Way Or The Hard Way” Comments

FCC Chairman Brandon Carr was already known to late-night viewers because he signed off on the merger between Paramount and Skydance, which happened right before ABC cancelled Stephen Colbert’s *The Late Show*. Carr also recently gained attention after Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily suspended for remarks that many interpreted as a threat to revoke ABC’s broadcasting licenses if the network didn’t fire Kimmel.

Brandon Carr spoke at the Concordia Summit on Monday to clarify recent comments made on his podcast. He explained that his words weren’t intended to be interpreted as a threat, and the phrase “hard way” he used simply didn’t mean what some people thought, according to Deadline.

So, last week I was talking about how easily concerns over distorted news can be handled. Honestly, it usually doesn’t need any government intervention. Typically, local TV stations – the ones licensed by the FCC – sort things out directly with the big national program providers like Disney. They handle it amongst themselves, and that’s usually that. It’s a pretty straightforward process, really.

He further contextualized what he supposedly meant by saying “the hard way,” saying:

There’s also a more formal process: someone can file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). By law, Congress requires the FCC to review these complaints. Regarding the situation with Jimmy Kimmel, I want to be clear that the FCC – and I personally – haven’t made any judgment about whether the complaint has merit.

During the same podcast interview, Carr described Kimmel’s on-air remarks as deeply inappropriate, suggesting some might even consider them reprehensible.

Sinclair Is Still Refusing To Air Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Despite ABC Decision

The recent issues with *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* began with Nexstar, not ABC. Nexstar announced it would stop airing the show before ABC had a chance to comment. Soon after, Sinclair followed suit, saying its 39 local stations would also stop broadcasting *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* episodes.

Even after ABC brought Jimmy Kimmel back, Sinclair’s position remained the same. A representative said they’re still having internal conversations, but it’s unclear what those talks involve or what Sinclair ultimately hopes to achieve. Here’s what they said:

Starting Tuesday night, Sinclair will replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with news programs on our ABC stations. We’re still talking with ABC about the possibility of bringing the show back.

Sinclair originally announced a special honoring Charlie Kirk would air on Friday, September 19th, at the same time as Jimmy Kimmel’s show. However, they moved the special to YouTube and instead broadcast a rerun of *Celebrity Family Feud*.

Viewers in cities served by Sinclair broadcasting stations, like Washington D.C., will probably need to wait until the next day to see the return of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on Tuesday, September 23rd. However, the rest of the country can watch it live, and this episode has the potential to be one of Kimmel’s most popular yet.

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2025-09-23 17:09