Explainer: 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' suspension over host's controversial comments
ABC suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" around September 18, 2025, after Kimmel made controversial comments about the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
The network said it wanted to "take the temperature down" and paused the show just before taping.
Kimmel called the suspension an "emotional rollercoaster," but a network vote kept him off air for several days.
Show back on air after 5 days
Just five days later, Disney announced the show would be back on air.
ABC described Kimmel's remarks as "ill-timed and thus insensitive," saying they hoped to avoid fueling more national tension.
When he returned, Kimmel addressed the incident but didn't fully apologize—and went right back to critiquing political figures like Donald Trump.
Kimmel's late-night balancing act
Kimmel has built his late-night career mixing jokes with sharp political commentary—often landing in hot water for it.
This latest suspension is another example of how tricky that balance can be in today's media world.