Ex-Disney CEO Michael Eisner Joins Improve for Jimmy Kimmel

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - September 14, 2025

Jimmy Kimmel.
Photo: ZZHollywood To You/Star Max/GC Photos

On September 17, ABC introduced that it may per chance perchance perchance be pulling contemporary episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! “indefinitely” after remarks about Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer sparked horny-wing rage and feedback from FCC chair Brendan Carr. Kimmel is getting canceled for the setup to a silly myth, no longer even the punch line. In the monologue from September 15, Kimmel talked about, “We hit some contemporary lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to signify this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as one thing instead of one of them and doing every thing they’ll to realize political facets from it.”

Carr told YouTuber Benny Johnson that he became furious about pulling ABC’s affiliate licenses because Kimmel perceived to be playing “into the myth” that suspected shooter Tyler Robinson became “come what may perchance perchance a MAGA or Republican-motivated person,” including, “What folks don’t understand is that the broadcasters … have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that contains it an obligation to operate in the public interest. When we question stuff love this, stare, we can compose this the easy reach or the demanding reach.” ABC and media company Nexstar interestingly determined to take the easy reach: Nexstar talked about it may per chance perchance perchance preempt Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! on its affiliate stations, and rapidly thereafter, ABC talked about it may per chance perchance perchance pull contemporary episodes of the demonstrate.

President Trump did a victory lap on Truth Social. “Gigantic News for The US: The scores challenged Jimmy Kimmel Affirm is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for lastly having the braveness to compose what needed to be done. Kimmel has ZERO expertise, and worse scores than even Colbert, if that’s that it’s doubtless you’ll perchance perchance also imagine,” he wrote. “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two entire losers, on Unfounded News NBC. Their scores are additionally depraved. Attain it NBC!!!”

On the reliable-Kimmel aspect, Hollywood unions WGA and SAG-AFTRA (each and every of which Kimmel is a member of) issued statements criticizing the choice to pull his demonstrate, as did the union that represents his demonstrate’s band. California senator Adam Schiff and California governor Gavin Newsom had been among the politicians who decried Carr’s remarks and ABC’s choice to take Kimmel off the air, whereas diverse actors, writer, and comedians — including Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Pedro Pascal, Damon Lindelof, and Tim Heidecker — have additionally reach to Kimmel’s defense. Even broken-down CEO of Disney, Michael Eisner, imply a commentary calling out his dilapidated company’s actions.

Emmy-worthwhile Andor writer Dan Gilroy penned an op-ed for Deadline in give a enhance to of Kimmel whereas additionally saving some empathy for his Disney bosses. “Many folk noticed parallels between Andor and the valid world. I question them as effectively, notably in the events of the last week,” he wrote. Enjoy Vulture’s Josef Adalian, Gilroy believes Disney’s suspension of Kimmel became a reach to aquire time and in some scheme back the demonstrate on the air. “Disney now stands at a crossroads: end Kimmel’s contract and switch out to be pavement for the boulevard to a heroic contemporary Trumpian world; or stand for the First Amendment and take the onslaught,” he wrote. “There’s no longer phenomenal at stake, legal free speech, the oxygen that sustains existence in this city.”

Notoriously apolitical Tonight Affirm host Jay Leno has spoken out on behalf of Jimmy Kimmel. The Hollywood Reporter purchased his remarks at Chris Wallace’s Hollywood Stroll of Reputation ceremony. “I’m on Jimmy Kimmel’s aspect on that one,” he talked about. “Most of this stuff happen your whole time. You don’t collect canceled (for) announcing standard issues. Most incessantly it’s the real fact that winds up getting canceled, so we’ll question what occurs.” He added “It’s a comic talking; can have to you don’t find it irresistible, don’t gape it.”

Here’s counter to what Leno has been announcing currently, particularly, that lat night time has gotten too political. “Neatly, why shoot for legal half of an audience your whole time? , why no longer try to gather the general?” he talked about in July. “I mean, I love to bring folks into the colossal picture. I don’t understand why you more than likely can alienate one advise community, you know, or legal don’t compose it at all. I’m no longer announcing that it’s good to to throw your give a enhance to or no matter, nonetheless legal compose what’s silly.”

The broken-down CEO of the Walt Disney Company came for Bob Iger in a tweet September 19. “Where has your whole leadership long gone?  If no longer for faculty presidents, law agency managing partners, and company chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the most important amendment?” he wrote. Eisner — who obtained ABC for Disney at some stage in his tenure — called FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s threats against the network “aggressive but hollow,” and the most modern in a series of intimidation ways by this administration. “Perchance the Constitution can have to mild have talked about, ‘Congress shall develop no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one’s political or monetary self-interest,’” he wrote. “By-the-reach, for the file, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and silly.”

Thru his Group of workers Coco socials, O’Brien assign out a commentary in give a enhance to of Kimmel, announcing that the FCC and Trump’s actions “can have to mild disturb each person on the Honest, Left, and Heart. It’s rotten and someone with a judgment of right and wrong knows it’s rotten.”

Kimmel’s behind-night time peers reacted to the solutions of his suspension on their respective reveals, every discovering ways to crack jokes about free speech and Donald Trump’s tolerance for criticism. Larger than one of them did so by song: “Oh, Donald / We pledge to thee our observe from the most as a lot as this point nation in the arena,” Stewart sang, whereas Colbert channeled Lumière in a parody of “Be Our Visitor” that contains lyrics love “Don’t insult our mountainous dictator or he’ll hit you with this turd.” Scrutinize every of their segments in full right here.

Maslany, the lead of Disney+’s She-Hulk, shared a name on her Instagram Account for fogeys to execute their Disney+ subscriptions.

The Transparent celebrity offered picture proof that she has slit ties by posting a screenshot confirming that she has canceled her Disney+ subscription and tagging the corporate in the caption.

The Fonz shared a selfie with Kimmel and praised his work and persona, tweeting that the behind-night time host’s insights are “important to set aside displaying us who we’re.”

Worn behind-night time host Letterman explained that he feared what precedent this suspension may perchance perchance perchance set aside of residing for the future. “I genuinely feel spoiled about this because we question where right here is all going, legal?” he shared. “It’s managed media. And it’s no legal. It’s foolish. It’s ridiculous. And likewise it’s doubtless you’ll perchance perchance also’t plug around firing any individual because you’re panicked or trying to suck as a lot as an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Keep of job. That’s legal no longer how this works.”

Pascal shared a picture with him and Kimmel, writing in the caption, “Standing with you @jimmykimmellive Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY” He additionally added statements from the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, a put up from writer Marina Rust that claims “None of right here is in fashion,” some statistics about political violence, and a message from the Human Rights Campaign pointing out “Here’s what fascism looks love” on Instagram Tales.

The creator of Misplaced promised to cease working with Disney unless Kimmel’s demonstrate comes back. “I became terrified, saddened and infuriated by the previous day’s suspension and live up for it being lifted rapidly. If it isn’t, I will’t in legal judgment of right and wrong work for the corporate that imposed it,” Lindelof wrote on Instagram on September 18.

On the red carpet, the comic expressed his worries about censorship. “It’s occurring very snappy and we’re seeing the outcomes of electing a fascist and residing, what it feels love, under a fascist regime… It’s absolutely enlighten backed censorship,” he shared with THR.

The broken-down president criticized the most modern administration in a contemporary put up on X: “After years of complaining about execute tradition, the most modern administration has taken it to a contemporary and abominable level by automatically threatening regulatory trek against media firms unless they muzzle or fireplace journalists and commentators it doesn’t love.”

The writers union criticized each and every the government and the network in its commentary. “The sexy to keep up a correspondence our minds and to disagree with every other — to disturb, even — is at the very coronary heart of what it reach to be a free folks. It’s no longer to be denied. Now now not by violence, no longer by the abuse of governmental energy, nor by acts of company cowardice,” the commentary from the WGA reads. “Disgrace on these in government who neglect this founding truth. As for our employers, our phrases have made you effectively off. Silencing us impoverishes the general world. The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers.”

The actors union condemned the suspension of Kimmel’s demonstrate. “Our society relies on freedom of expression,” SAG-AFTRA talked about in a commentary. “Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on important issues of public scenario fling counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on. Democracy thrives when diverse facets of search are expressed. The selection to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! is the kind of suppression and retaliation that endangers each person’s freedoms. SAG-AFTRA stands with all media artists and defends their horny to advise their diverse facets of search, and each person’s horny to hear them.”

“Here’s no longer advanced,” the AFM, which represents Kimmel’s band, wrote in a commentary. “Trump’s FCC known speech it didn’t love and threatened ABC with shocking reprisals. Here’s enlighten censorship.”

Stiller became concise, reposting a portray from The Wall Aspect toll road Journal’s Joe Flint and captioning it, “This isn’t horny.”

“Here’s government censorship,” Maron talked about in an Instagram video captioned with a name for fogeys to set aside of residing up and peacefully set aside at bay. “In the event that they’ll reach for Kimmel, they’ll reach for anybody,” he talked about.

Birbiglia posted a name to trek addressed to “all comedians,” arguing that if they don’t keep up a correspondence out relating to the “madness” of the choice to pull Kimmel’s demonstrate, they shouldn’t problem “spouting off about free speech anymore.”

Sykes, who became scheduled to visitor on Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! the night time it became pulled, talked about in an Instagram video explaining that her buddy’s demonstrate had been pulled “attributable to complaints from the Trump administration.” Sykes reflected that the president managed to “end freedom of speech within his first one year” and ended her video by announcing, “For these of you who pray, now’s the time to compose it. Cherish you, Jimmy.”

O’Donnell declared that “the United States isn’t very any extra,” sharing a picture of Kimmel on Instagram alongside a caption that criticized a “fascist administration and immoral company executives” for “bowing” to Trump.

The Hacks celebrity talked about she became “timid” at the solutions that Kimmel’s demonstrate will likely be pulled, arguing in an Instagram put up that his feedback constitute “FREE speech, no longer abominate speech.”

Hayes focused totally on Carr’s remarks, laying blame for Kimmel’s enforced hiatus at “enlighten actors.” He tweeted, “Here’s the most clear-slit assault on free speech from enlighten actors I’ve ever seen in my existence and it’s no longer even end.”

Newsom perceived to link Kimmel going off the air to The Late Affirm With Stephen Colbert’s cancellation, as effectively as with the firing of MSNBC commentator Matthew Dowd and Trump associates taking back a watch on of TikTok. “Searching to search out and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling reveals. These aren’t coincidences,” he wrote. “It’s coordinated. And it’s abominable. The @GOP doesn’t imagine in free speech. They are censoring you in valid time.”

The California senator additionally when compared what’s occurring to Kimmel with what’s already occurred to Colbert. He talked about Trump’s complaints against the Fresh York Times, The Wall Aspect toll road Journal, and 60 Minutes. “This administration is accountable for the most blatant assaults on the free press in American historical past,” Schiff wrote. “What’s going to likely be left of the First Amendment when he’s done?”

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker called Kimmel’s cancellation “an assault off free speech” on Bluesky. He entreated elected officers to keep up a correspondence up in defense of the First Amendment: “A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians for the reason that President doesn’t love what they articulate. Here’s an assault on free speech and can’t be allowed to stand.”

Oates came to Kimmel’s defense no matter no longer being a behind-night time enjoyer. “As one who avoids simply about all behind-night time comics & has never seen Jimmy Kimmell (sic) or his rivals mild it seems sad that someone is so without warning fired for one thing he says then all once more awkward or imperfect,” she wrote. “Unparalleled of humor is edgy, surreal, exaggerated, & can’t be truth-checked. if a silly myth is in uncomfortable taste or falls flat the audience’s silence is punishment enough for the comic.”

Talking from journey, Griffin talked about it became crucial Kimmel have give a enhance to in this second. Please, take it from me, it’s miles terribly important to have Jimmy Kimmel‘s back horny now,” she wrote on Bluesky. “Be vocal. Be an ideological user. Money is all their crowd cares about.”

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