Sarah McLachlan and Jewel cancel performance at Disney’s Lilith Fair premiere over Jimmy Kimmel suspension

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Two popular musicians from the 1990s unexpectedly canceled their performance Sunday night to protest at the debut of Disney’s new Lilith Fair documentary.

After Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily taken off the air for his remarks about Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who died, singers Sarah McLachlan and Jewel expressed concern about limitations on free speech.

What began as a celebratory event for the Lilith Fair documentary, “Building a Mystery,” quickly took an unexpected turn. Held at The Ford in Los Angeles and produced by ABC News Studios and Hulu, the evening became both politically charged and intensely personal following a surprising announcement.

Disney hasn’t publicly explained why the late-night host was let go, but the consequences are spreading – affecting not only the studio itself, but also Washington and the music industry.

The artists were scheduled to perform right after the documentary about the historic all-female music festival was shown.

But in a stunning moment McLachlan emerged not to sing, but to speak. 

She explained that while everyone was expecting a show, the performers had collectively decided not to go on stage. Instead, they would be standing together to support the importance of free speech, and she apologized for any disappointment this might cause.

The crowd, packed with industry insiders, celebrities and artists erupted in cheers.

McLachlan admitted she had mixed feelings about being at the event, considering everything that’s happening right now.

She said watching this film feels like a shared experience, but she’s also been struggling with how to address the difficult times we’re all going through.

It’s just… heartbreaking to see everything we’ve fought for slipping away. Like, all the progress for women, for my trans and queer friends… it’s being chipped away at, slowly but surely. And the worst part is seeing people silenced, like their voices just don’t matter. It feels like a nightmare, honestly.

We’re all understandably anxious about the future, and it’s uncertain what will happen. But I know I need to keep creating as an artist and as a woman, to find a path forward. I believe music can connect us all, helping us find common ground and shared understanding.

As someone who’s always believed in creating spaces for everyone, I really tapped into the spirit of Lilith Fair – the festival I helped create back in the late ’90s. We started it because the music festival scene was so heavily dominated by male artists, and we wanted to build something different – a celebration of women, and a show of solidarity. That feeling of coming together and supporting each other was a huge inspiration for what I’m doing now.

She explained that Lilith showed her the power of supporting one another, rather than bringing each other down.

I truly hope this documentary motivates you to keep working towards positive change in your local areas. Continue to support the issues you care about with compassion and understanding, because we’re all connected and rely on each other.

According to a source at The Hollywood Reporter, Sarah McLachlan and Jewel were scheduled to perform a surprise song at the premiere, but they decided not to perform after Disney temporarily removed Jimmy Kimmel from his hosting duties.

McLachlan announced that the group had decided to cancel their performance, referencing a recent issue involving Disney without mentioning the company by name.

After Disney-owned ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel for comments he made on the air regarding the attempted assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calls for his show to be cancelled began to grow.

After a disagreement, Nexstar and Sinclair-two major companies that own many local TV stations-stopped showing Jimmy Kimmel Live!

After facing increasing criticism, including from the Trump administration, Disney has cancelled Jimmy Kimmel’s show for the foreseeable future.

Sunday night’s event included a red carpet before the movie screening, but the press wasn’t allowed to attend. Some people believe this was intentional, designed to prevent questions about Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension and Disney’s involvement.

Instead of physical gifts, people at the event received QR codes that connected them to organizations dedicated to social causes, such as PFLAG, the Geena Davis Institute, and the Downtown Women’s Center. This was part of the event’s commitment to making a positive impact.

Singer Lisa Loeb, actor and comedian Mae Martin, and actor Charlie Barnett also attended, and all three stayed for the reception after the planned music was cancelled.

Organizers announced Sunday that the planned musical performances have been canceled. However, they still invite attendees to a reception after the documentary screening to celebrate the film.

Disney hasn’t publicly commented much on the controversy involving Jimmy Kimmel, even though President Trump has continued to criticize news outlets he considers unfair.

Speaking to reporters Friday in the Oval Office, Trump said that people will take a good story and ruin it. He added that, in his opinion, it’s actually illegal.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, who was appointed by former President Trump, said the FCC might review ABC’s right to broadcast if they didn’t take action against Jimmy Kimmel. Senator Ted Cruz compared this statement to a threat from organized crime.

‘He says, “We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way,” Cruz said.

That line is totally reminiscent of the movie Goodfellas. It’s exactly the kind of thing a mafia boss would say when walking into a bar – a veiled threat disguised as a compliment, like saying, ‘This is a nice place… it would be unfortunate if anything were to happen to it.’

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2025-09-22 09:19