Jimmy Kimmel has not made many direct public statements about being canceled or suspended himself, but the situation arose after he made controversial comments on his show following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel suggested that the suspect was part of the "MAGA gang" and criticized Republicans and Trump's supporters for politicizing Kirk's death. These comments led to ABC suspending his late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely amid backlash and pressure from the FCC and conservative groups. Although Kimmel did not explicitly address the cancellation publicly, many in Hollywood and his colleagues defended him as an issue of free speech, framing the suspension as censorship. Notably, former President Trump celebrated the cancellation, attributing it to low ratings and criticizing Kimmel's talent. Meanwhile, others condemned ABC and the administration for silencing Kimmel, with some celebrities calling Kimmel's comments free speech rather than hate speech. In summary, Kimmel's remarks on political exploitation of Kirk's death triggered the show's indefinite suspension. His defenders see it as a free speech issue, though Kimmel himself has not prominently commented on being canceled publicly after the suspension was announced.
