Jimmy Kimmel's show suspended over assassination joke, host speaks out
Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show on ABC was suspended after he made controversial comments about the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk.
Speaking at a recent LA conference, Kimmel said he saw this coming: "A list of demands was presented to me, and I was not going to go along with any of them."
He also felt his words were "intentionally and maliciously mischaracterized" by the political right.
Rumors about show's financial status and ratings
Kimmel's contract ends in May, and he hasn't decided if he'll keep hosting. He pushed back on rumors about the show losing money, saying some revenue sources get ignored.
Disney TV chief Dana Walden stepped in to help with the suspension fallout. Meanwhile, the show's ratings have dipped—partly because of weak lead-ins and everyone catching clips on YouTube.
This mirrors bigger struggles across late-night TV, like CBS canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July.