{"id":166649,"date":"2025-09-19T01:48:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T01:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/166649\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T01:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T01:48:07","slug":"hollywood-reacts-to-abc-pulling-talk-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/166649\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollywood Reacts To ABC Pulling Talk Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tUPDATED with latest: Following ABC<\/a>\u2018s shocking decision to indefinitely pull Jimmy Kimmel Live<\/a>, Hollywood and media personalities are calling out the network on social media.<\/p>\n

\n\tWith Kimmel becoming the latest after Stephen Colbert<\/a> and Matthew Dowd<\/a> to suffer similar a fate, supporters are speaking out about ABC\u2019s announcement that the late-night show will be \u201cpreempted indefinitely<\/a>,\u201d following the FCC<\/a>\u2018s warning about his Charlie Kirk comments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tPresident Donald Trump<\/a> wasted no time in celebrating the demise<\/a> of Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> Live, also putting Jimmy Fallon<\/a> and Seth Meyers<\/a> on notice. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGreat 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. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that\u2019s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT,\u201d he wrote on Truth Social<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tMeanwhile, an overwhelming majority of social media posts called out ABC\u2019s decision as an attack on free speech, including California\u2019s Gov. Gavin Newsom. \u201cBuying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren\u2019t coincidences. It\u2019s coordinated. And it\u2019s dangerous,\u201d he wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cThe @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buying and controlling media platforms.<\/p>\n

Firing commentators.<\/p>\n

Canceling shows.<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t coincidences.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s coordinated. And it\u2019s dangerous.<\/p>\n

The @GOP<\/a> does not believe in free speech. <\/p>\n

They are censoring you in real time.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThis is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much,\u201d wrote The Paper\u2018s Alex Edelman on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tWanda Sykes noted in an Instagram Reel<\/a> that she was \u201cin a full face of makeup\u201d because she was supposed to appear on the show, \u201cbut as you have heard by now, the Jimmy Kimmel show has been pulled indefinitely, abruptly because of complaints by the Trump administration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLet\u2019s see, he didn\u2019t end the Ukraine War or solve Gaza within his first week,\u201d added Sykes. \u201cBut he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now\u2019s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tJean Smart, who appeared with Kimmel on Season 4 of Hacks, wrote<\/a>, \u201cI am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live.\u00a0 What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech. People seem to only want to protect free speech when it suits THEIR agenda. Though I didn\u2019t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk<\/a>; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tJames Woods offered a less mature response. \u201cWe\u2019ve all made jokes at Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s expense. But Mr. Kimmel is a fellow artist, and I am in fact heartbroken to see the way he has been treated. I believe he is, in his heart of hearts, a good and decent fellow, devoid of malice and hate. Just kidding, Jimbo. Eat shit,\u201d he wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tBen Stiller simply wrote<\/a>, \u201cThis isn\u2019t right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe can\u2019t be there yet, the point of no return. The point at which we can\u2019t see our neighbor\u2019s humanity. I don\u2019t ever want to be there!\u201d wrote Octavia Spencer in a post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cStanding with you @jimmykimmellive,\u201d wrote Pedro Pascal on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cDefend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tKerry Washington wrote on Instagram<\/a>, \u201c@jimmykimmel, you\u2019ve supported me, my work, and my voice for years, and I\u2019m endlessly grateful for your friendship, partnership, the laughter, and encouragement. Now it\u2019s my turn to stand with and for you. Your immense kindness, integrity and generosity inspire everyone around you. What\u2019s happening to you, and across late night is not just unfair, it\u2019s unjust. Silencing voices like yours and @stephenathome goes far beyond just entertainment; it threatens freedom of speech, an independent press, and ultimately, our democracy. You are not alone. I stand with you, my friend. Always.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMichael Keaton shared a handwritten note<\/a> that read, \u201cABC, NBC, CBS, stand up!!! Stand the f\u2014 up!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Daily Show\u2018s Michael Kosta pointed to the First Amendment on his Instagram Story, writing, \u201cThis is a serious moment in American history. TV networks MUST push back. This is complete BS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMike Birbiglia wrote<\/a>, \u201cI\u2019ve spent a lot of time in public + private defending comedians I don\u2019t agree with. If you\u2019re a comedian + you don\u2019t call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air \u2014\u00a0don\u2019t bother spouting off about free speech anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tChris Hayes, whose MSNBC colleague Dowd was recently fired over comments about Kirk<\/a>, also spoke up. \u201cThis is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I\u2019ve ever seen in my life and it\u2019s not even close,\u201d he wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tDon Lemon said in a video<\/a> shared on Facebook, \u201cThey\u2019re trying to cancel Jimmy Kimmel. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard the news by now, but I\u2019ve been going through the internet, looking for the clips to see what they\u2019re mad or upset about, and I can\u2019t find it. The one that they have on there, I don\u2019t see where that\u2019s even controversial. The guy\u2019s comedian. This is the same party, the same group of people who complained about, \u2018Everything is too woke! Comedians can\u2019t say anything anymore! They\u2019re killing comedy!\u2019 The folks who are complaining about killing comedy are killing comedy. The folks who are complaining about cancelling people are cancelling people. What does that tell you? That they don\u2019t believe in anything that they\u2019re saying, that they\u2019ve said, that they have no core. All it is, is if it doesn\u2019t fit their particular ideology or belief, they don\u2019t wanna hear it. And that\u2019s the moment that we\u2019re in now, this is a very dangerous and scary moment for America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEVERY CORPORATION IS INSTANTLY FOLDING TO THE ADMIN EVEN WHEN ITS OVER AN UTTERLY INOFFENSIVE JOKE THE ADMIN DOESNT LIKE!\u201d wrote Hasan Piker on X<\/a>. \u201cLIBERALS NEED TO WAKE UP!!!! WE ALL HAVE TO FIGHT BACK, THESE WEALTHY ASSHOLES ARENT GOING TO STAND UP FOR ANYTHING BEYOND THEIR BOTTOM LINE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe WGA said in a statement, \u201cThe right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other \u2013 to disturb, even \u2013 is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAs a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn\u2019t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to \u2013 painful as it may be at times \u2013 is the freeing agreement to disagree.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cShame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.\u00a0The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe stunning dropping of Kimmel comes mere minutes after Nexstar axed his late night show<\/a> on the 32 ABC affiliates it owns out of a total of 200 stations throughout the nation.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNexstar\u2019s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight\u2019s show,\u201d said the company in a statement Wednesday. \u201cNexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tKnown for his \u2018Prove Me Wrong\u2019 debates and MAGA POV, activist Kirk was shot dead at Utah Valley University on September 10 in a tragedy that has sent shock through the political and media worlds.<\/p>\n

\n\tHaving previously mocked Trump over POTUS\u2019 take on the NFL and TikTok, Kimmel offered his blunt assessment<\/a> of the aftermath of Kirk\u2019s death in his opening monologue on his September 15 show: \u201cWe hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,\u201d the host said.<\/p>\n