The late-night host questioned whether it was acceptable for the government to regulate “which podcasts the cellphone companies and Wi-Fi providers are allowed to let you download to make sure they serve the public interest.”<\/p>\n
Kimmel said such an idea would have been unfathomable in the United States \u2013 a land that prides itself on its long tradition of free speech \u2013 even just 10 years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took particular aim at FCC Chairman Brendan Carr over comments Carr made last week during an interview<\/a> on the conservative podcast “The Benny Show,” hosted by Benny Johnson.<\/p>\n RAND PAUL SLAMS FCC COMMISSIONER’S ‘ABSOLUTELY INAPPROPRIATE’ JIMMY KIMMEL COMMENTS<\/a><\/p>\n A composite image shows late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, left, and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, right, as affiliates suspended Kimmel\u2019s show following his comments on Charlie Kirk. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n Carr told Johnson there were potential “avenues” the FCC could take against ABC and Disney after Kimmel suggested that Trump supporters were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk<\/a> as anything other than one of them.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Major local station owners Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group have announced they will continue to preempt ABC\u2019s “Kimmy Kimmel Live!” in key markets. (Randy Holmes\/Disney via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Carr alleged that Kimmel was part of a “concerted effort” to mislead the public about the political leanings of Kirk\u2019s suspected assassin, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who FBI officials and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said held a “leftist ideology.”<\/p>\n Carr said broadcasters, whose licenses are granted by the FCC, have an “obligation to operate in the public interest.”\u00a0<\/p>\n ABC INSIDER HOPES LIBERALS TAKE THIS LESSON AWAY FROM JIMMY KIMMEL SAGA<\/a><\/p>\n “Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there\u2019s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” Carr said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kimmel said Carr telling an American company this would amount to a “direct violation of the First Amendment [and] is not a particularly intelligent threat to make in public.”\u00a0<\/p>\n “The FCC has a long tradition of meddling where they shouldn\u2019t under many administrations. But it wasn\u2019t always like this,” Kimmel said.\u00a0<\/p>\n FCC Chair Brendan Carr told The Wall Street Journal in a new interview he will not shy away from penalizing media broadcasters who engage in misconduct. (John McDonnell\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n He also highlighted a 2022 tweet from Carr himself, posted while serving as an FCC commissioner under the Biden administration, that read: “Political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech. It challenges those in power while using humor to draw more people into the discussion. That\u2019s why people in influential positions have always targeted it for censorship.”<\/p>\n Kimmel revealed that the commissioner who wrote that tweet was none other than Carr.\u00a0<\/p>\n In his monologue, Kimmel clarified that it had not been his intention to “make light” of Kirk\u2019s assassination earlier this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything funny about it,” Kimmel said, choking up. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what \u2026 was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/fcc-chair-carr-defends-jimmy-kimmel-show-cancellation.jpg\")
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