Charlie Kirk’s shooting death<\/a>.<\/p>\nAccording to a source with knowledge of the events, Kimmel’s staff members had been working as usual on Wednesday afternoon, holding calls with talent publicists regarding upcoming episodes just before the decision was announced.<\/p>\n
Numerous Hollywood publicists, producers, media executives who spoke with CNN on that evening expressed their astonishment over the suspension.<\/p>\n
“We are all shell-shocked,” one celebrity publicist told CNN.<\/p>\n
“I cannot believe this is real life,” a studio publicist said.<\/p>\n
“For those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it,” said American comedian and actress, Wanda Sykes, who was to be a guest on the night’s show.<\/p>\n
Staffers inside ABC were also stunned by the move. Kimmel’s ties to the network run deep. His show has been on for more than two decades, and Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, is the head writer and executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”<\/p>\n
![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4KJRIMB_063_2172246962_jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nJimmy Kimmel pictured with his wife Molly McNearney, the head writer and executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”. (File photo)
\nPhoto: Frazer Harrison\/Getty Images\/AFP\n<\/p>\n
A source familiar with the fluid and fast-moving situation told CNN that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has not been cancelled, but added there is no timeline as to when the show may return.<\/p>\n
Outside the theatre in Hollywood, some audience members had been waiting in line for over an hour when they were told the taping had been cancelled.<\/p>\n
A couple who had travelled from Virginia to Los Angeles on vacation to attend Kimmel’s taping, called ABC’s decision “ridiculous.”<\/p>\n
“What about freedom of speech? Why would his show be cancelled for Jimmy Kimmel expressing his opinion?” Gina Blackwell told CNN.<\/p>\n
“Wake up America. We’re getting stuck on stupid,” Michael Blackwell said.<\/p>\n
A number of entertainment industry figures who spoke with CNN questioned whether the show would ever return to air, citing the current political climate and noting Kimmel has long been a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social on Wednesday night. “Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!,” Trump said on social media.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for ABC did not respond to CNN’s request for comment regarding whether Kimmel and his show team will continue to be paid during the suspension.<\/p>\n
Given the host’s history with Trump, it seems implausible he would want to filter his commentary or comedy if or when he returns to air. Kimmel’s current contract expires in May.<\/p>\n
He debated whether to renew it in 2022, publicly stating that he had considered bringing his late-night show to an end.<\/p>\n
“After two decades at ABC, I am now looking forward to three years of what they call ‘quiet quitting,'” he joked in a statement at the time his contract extension was announced.<\/p>\n
A representative for Kimmel has not responded to CNN’s request for comment.<\/p>\n
– CNN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show has been suspended. (File photo) Photo: TOMMASO BODDI As news…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29684,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[48,47,156,111,43,139,69,49,46,44,45,437],"class_list":["post-29683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-audio","tag-current-affairs","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-podcasts","tag-public-radio","tag-radio-new-zealand","tag-rnz","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}