Greetings,Jimmy Kimmel is the latest to feel the effects of a vicious backlash against criticism of Charlie Kirk and the wider conservative movement as Disney precipitously pulled his show off the air "indefinitely" on Wednesday afternoon. Events cascaded quickly today: FCC Chair Brendan Carr said on a right-wing podcast that he could move to revoke ABC affiliate licenses as a way to force Disney to punish Kimmel for his remarks. Then Nexstar Media Group, which has more than 200 owned or partner stations in the U.S. but more significantly has a deal on the table to buy broadcast rival Tegna for $6.2 billion, said it would pull "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" from its broadcast indefinitely. Sinclair Media, which also owns multiple affiliates, also made the same move. Disney swiftly followed by pre-empting the show. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, called the remarks “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.” What were those comments and how damning were they? Kimmel quipped that "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them." The comments were made in regard to conservatives, and didn't criticize Kirk. Kimmel was making the point that the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, came from a conservative family, even as authorities have said that his political beliefs were in line with leftist causes. What's more clear is this will add to the ongoing chilling effect on free speech. If a comedian's simple observations are "too offensive," why should anyone else speak up? Roger Cheng PS: Jeffrey Katzenberg. Irving Azoff. Jerry Bruckheimer. All and more at TheGrill 2025. Subscribers get 40% off with WrapPRO40. 
The decisions by ABC and Nexstar come after the FCC's Carr told podcaster Benny Johnson that the agency could look at Kimmel's Monday night remarks... 
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