'Kimmel' suspension leads to 1.7 million subscriber loss for Disney
Disney just lost 1.7 million subscribers across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN in one week—a huge spike in cancellations—after it suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC.
The show was pulled following Jimmy Kimmel's controversial comments about the September 10 shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which Kimmel commented on during his September 15 episode.
Kimmel's suspension sparks political firestorm
Kimmel's suspension quickly turned political. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called his remarks "the sickest conduct possible" and publicly warned ABC and Disney.
Things escalated when Nexstar Media dropped the show from its ABC affiliates, sparking #CancelDisney and #CancelDisneyPlus trends as people protested what they saw as censorship of anti-Trump voices.
Implications for streaming services
This subscriber drop shows how political drama can hit streaming services hard, especially when free speech debates are so heated in 2025.
Now, Disney has to figure out how to handle these cultural clashes while keeping viewers on board.