Jimmy Kimmel celebrated Hollywood Boulevard’s wacky character. Locals fear life without him

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Spider-Man and a Hollywood tour guide were having it out.

People were passionately debating outside Jimmy Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Boulevard about whether ABC made the right decision to temporarily stop airing his show. This came after Kimmel made comments regarding the reaction to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Wearing pink Nikes, the Spider-Man impersonator leaned forward, straining to be heard through his costume, and declared, “I like Kimmel! He has a right to say what he thinks.”

Todd Doten, who works as a tour guide for Beverly Hills Tours of Hollywood, disagreed with the idea that everyone should be held to the same standards. He felt broadcasters should face stricter rules than private individuals, and actually supported the Federal Communications Commission’s attempt to cancel Jimmy Kimmel’s show, saying they had a reasonable argument.

The two men argued briefly next to Little Richard’s damaged star on the Walk of Fame. After a friendly pat on the back, Doten and the man dressed as a superhero went their separate ways.

I have to say, that Friday afternoon scene perfectly embodied the Hollywood Jimmy Kimmel championed – a place that’s wonderfully strange, a little rough around the edges, and unexpectedly moving. It really captured that vibe he always highlighted.

Since 2003, when he started filming at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, Jimmy Kimmel has become a major advocate for Hollywood. He’s helped bring tourists to the famous Hollywood Boulevard, which, despite attractions like the Academy Awards, TCL Chinese Theatre, and the Walk of Fame, has faced challenges with crime, homelessness, and deterioration. Kimmel has also used his platform to support those in need, assisting homeless youth and collecting donations on his show’s set for victims of the recent wildfires.

He created numerous comedic sketches, often using the strange side of Hollywood as his setting. One recurring sketch, called “Who’s High?”, involved him attempting to identify which of three passersby was under the influence of drugs.

People in Hollywood and those working in entertainment are concerned about the potential loss of Jimmy Kimmel’s show, especially as the area continues to bounce back from the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic which caused widespread shutdowns. Although Kimmel’s suspension has ignited a national conversation about free speech, the impact here is felt much more personally.

Eric Garcetti, the former mayor of Los Angeles, said that attacking Jimmy Kimmel is like attacking Hollywood and everything he represents. He shared this statement with The Times on Friday.

Hollywood represents both a physical location and the dream it evokes. It’s where the movie business happens, and also a specific part of town. Jimmy really embraces both sides of that, and notably, he actually lives there, which is rare for many celebrities these days.

Miguel Aguilar, who sells fruit near Kimmel’s theater, said business was usually booming whenever “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was filming, as audience members frequently bought his chamoy-covered strawberries and pineapples. He was surprised to learn from a New York Times reporter that the show was on hold.

“Did the government cancel it?” Aguilar wondered. “We used to have so many more customers because of the show. It’s really worrying.”

A man with a sign outside a local diner expressed concern for the people working on Kimmel’s show, like the lighting and makeup teams.

“How many people went down with Kimmel?” he asked.

Daniel Gomez, a local resident, worries the cancellation of the show will hurt nearby businesses, as it always drew large crowds that filled the street.

Even though people will still visit Hollywood, we’re going to lose some tourists because of the show’s cancellation,” Gomez explained while signing a large canvas covered in messages from fans and free speech supporters upset about the decision.

Gomez said it was unfortunate that the comedian faced consequences for his remarks, emphasizing that comedians should have the freedom to express themselves without restriction.

As a huge movie and TV fan, I was really disturbed to hear about the pressure Jimmy Kimmel faced. A bunch of Hollywood unions – including the stagehands and actors’ guild – put out a statement saying this kind of political interference isn’t just about silencing one person. They feel it creates a scary environment where people are afraid to speak up, and it could actually cost thousands of entertainment workers their jobs. It’s a real threat to creative freedom and people’s ability to earn a living.

As a film buff, it’s really disheartening to see what’s happening in Hollywood right now. The industry is already facing tough times with globalization and fewer opportunities, and any additional job losses just pile on to the problem. It feels like a particularly difficult moment for everyone involved.

So, I was watching Kimmel’s monologue the other day, and he was talking about the guy accused of shooting Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson. He pointed out how people associated with the ‘MAGA’ movement are really scrambling to distance themselves from this kid, trying to paint him as anything *but* one of their own. It felt like they were more focused on avoiding bad publicity and scoring political wins than anything else, which honestly, struck me as pretty cynical.

It’s possible to understand Kimmel’s comments in multiple ways, but supporters of Kirk quickly claimed he was suggesting Robinson supports Trump, a claim many of Kimmel’s fans dispute. Kimmel hasn’t made any public statement about the situation.

Jimmy Kimmel criticized President Trump for discussing building a new ballroom at the White House, especially given he was asked about his reaction to the death of a close friend.

Nexstar Media Group announced Wednesday it would stop airing the show on its ABC stations due to comments made by Kimmel. Following this, Walt Disney Company, the owner of ABC, said “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would be put on indefinite hiatus.

Nexstar cancelled the show following a threat from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who was appointed by Trump. Carr had urged ABC and its local stations to resist the network’s actions.

Carr told podcast host Benny Johnson that media companies can either address the issue themselves, specifically regarding Kimmel, or face potential action from the Federal Communications Commission.

Hollywood Inc.

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

Donald Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been cancelled, calling it “Great News for America.” He also congratulated ABC for what he described as the necessary decision.

He also attacked late-night talk show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them failures. He then urged NBC to cancel their programs, posting a demand: “Do it, NBC!”

On July 18th, the president expressed his approval of CBS’s decision to end “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” after the current season in a post on Truth Social. He stated he was pleased Colbert was leaving, adding that Colbert’s skills didn’t match his low viewership, and suggested Jimmy Kimmel might be next to face similar consequences.

With the show’s future uncertain, the fate of Jimmy Kimmel’s theater – a beautiful, historic building from 1921 called the former Hollywood Masonic Temple and known for its six large columns – is also up in the air.

Disney owns the building and the nearby historic office building that houses the El Capitan Theatre and a Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop. Jimmy Kimmel’s production company, 12:05 AM Productions, leases 26,000 square feet across four floors of the six-story office building, according to CoStar, a real estate information service.

Disney did not respond to a request for comment.

Eric Garcetti, formerly the City Council representative for Hollywood, noted that Jimmy Kimmel strongly supported efforts to restore the historic Masonic lodge and improve the area in general.

I remember when the Oscars came back to the Dolby Theatre in 2002, after being held elsewhere for a while. It really felt like a turning point. As Eric Garcetti said, Jimmy Kimmel was a big part of bringing back that classic Hollywood vibe – you started seeing real stars out and about again, at clubs and restaurants, and it felt like a second golden age for the Academy Awards.

Years ago, when Eric Garcetti was trying to convince the International Olympic Committee to hold the Games in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel greeted their helicopter on a Hollywood hotel rooftop to enthusiastically promote the area.

During the 2013 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony for Jimmy Kimmel, Mayor Garcetti jokingly said that when Kimmel first arrived on Hollywood Boulevard, the area was known for crime and vice, and he embraced the local characters.

Jimmy Kimmel playfully recounted how his parents supposedly brought him to the Hollywood Walk of Fame when he was a child and jokingly abandoned him there.

It was so moving watching him speak at the ceremony. He actually got choked up and said it was embarrassing, like he was giving a eulogy at his own funeral! He kept saying how silly it all was, and then jokingly worried people would… well, let’s just say he didn’t think everyone would appreciate his star on the sidewalk. It was a really vulnerable moment, honestly.

Kimmel’s star is by his theater, near the stars for rapper Snoop Dogg — and Donald Duck.

During a May appearance on Kimmel’s show, pop star Miley Cyrus revealed she got a bad infection after filming on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the previous year. She explained that she had been rolling around on the sidewalk and part of her leg began to severely deteriorate.

“Have you been to the Walk of Fame in the middle of the night?” she asked.

“I live here,” Kimmel said.

“I thought it was my last day,” Cyrus responded.

Over the past few days, a large group of protesters have been demonstrating outside Kimmel’s theater, expressing their disapproval of the show being suspended.

Dianne Hall and Michael Talbur from Kansas City had already purchased tickets and flown to Los Angeles for a live show taping when it was canceled. Instead of the show, they joined a protest on Thursday.

Hall anticipated Kimmel’s opening remarks would be disrespectful to the Kirk family, but she was surprised to find that wasn’t the case when she heard it.

Hall initially assumed there must have been a serious reason for the firing, thinking someone had said something wrong. However, he later learned that wasn’t the case at all.

Ken Tullo, who lives in Hollywood, says he doesn’t usually protest, but he felt he needed to take a stand. He wants his daughters to grow up knowing they can express their opinions without fear.

According to Tullo, the current administration takes itself too seriously and doesn’t appreciate humor, even when directed at them.

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2025-09-21 13:33