Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been indefinitely pulled from ABC’s late-night lineup following backlash over comments the host made regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on September 10 during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. The network confirmed the decision on September 17, just a week after Kirk’s killing, with an ABC spokesperson telling PEOPLE that the show would be off the air until further notice.
The move follows Nexstar Media Group’s announcement that it would preempt the show across its 200-plus stations in 116 markets, replacing it with alternate programming. Nexstar explained that it “strongly objects” to Kimmel’s remarks, calling them offensive and insensitive at a time when the nation remains politically divided and on edge. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, elaborated in a statement that the comments did not reflect the values or views of the local communities the company serves, adding that continuing to give Kimmel a platform was not in the public interest. He said the difficult decision was made to “let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
The controversy erupted after Kimmel’s September 15 monologue, in which he addressed President Donald Trump’s supporters directly and criticized attempts by MAGA-aligned voices to downplay the ideological leanings of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect accused of assassinating Kirk. Kimmel remarked, “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.”
His words came just days after Kirk’s death, which left conservatives shaken and provoked strong reactions across the political spectrum. PEOPLE has reached out to Kimmel’s representatives, but no public statement has yet been issued by the late-night host. The decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! also comes against the backdrop of Kimmel’s ongoing feud with Trump, who has long used his social media platform Truth Social to criticize the host. Earlier this year, Trump predicted that Kimmel would be the next casualty in what he called the “Late Night Sweepstakes” after CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July 2025.
In a post at the time, Trump mocked Kimmel and NBC’s Jimmy Fallon as “untalented” figures who had “destroyed what used to be great television.” Kimmel, for his part, has never shied away from his disdain for Trump. Since beginning his late-night run in 2003, he has used his platform to lampoon presidents, politicians, and cultural figures, often drawing sharp political lines in the process. In 2022, he admitted on the Naked Lunch podcast that at the height of Trump’s presidency, he considered quitting the show rather than tone down his criticisms, telling producers that if they wanted a host who would avoid Trump jokes, they should find someone else.
Kimmel has even shared moments of protest with his family, including a July 2025 vacation photo where he, his wife Molly McNearney, and their children posed at an anti-Trump rally in matching shirts with slogans like “Don’t bend the knee” and “I wish we had a better president.” His jabs have not been limited to Trump personally but also extended to media companies, most recently CBS, after Colbert’s ouster. Kimmel reposted a clip of Colbert’s farewell monologue on Instagram, captioning it “Love you Stephen,” while blasting CBS with an expletive-laced critique of its leadership. Despite the controversy, Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been a staple of late-night television for more than two decades, offering a blend of celebrity interviews, comedy sketches, and musical performances.
Airing weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET, the show has welcomed stars ranging from A-list actors to sports legends and musicians, with Kimmel himself serving as both comedian and cultural commentator. Over the years, the host has repeatedly hinted that his time on the show may be coming to an end. In a 2024 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he joked that each time he thought he was ready to walk away, he ended up staying longer. At the time, he said the three-year contract he signed in 2022 would “probably” be his last, admitting that two more years seemed like enough.
Still, he has remained on air, often using his platform to mix humor with sharp political critique, which has consistently put him at odds with conservatives and made him one of the most polarizing figures in late-night TV. Now, with his show indefinitely pulled, questions remain about whether this marks the beginning of the end for Kimmel’s run or merely a temporary setback in the wake of heightened political tensions following Kirk’s assassination.
As Kirk’s supporters prepare for his funeral on September 21 at State Farm Stadium in Arizona—a service Trump has promised to attend—the fallout from Kimmel’s remarks underscores how cultural and political divisions continue to bleed into entertainment. Whether Jimmy Kimmel Live! eventually returns or becomes another casualty of the shifting late-night landscape, the controversy surrounding his comments about Kirk shows just how volatile the intersection of politics and television has become.
