ENTERTAINMENTWhich Execs Pulled 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Off the Air? What We Know About Who Made the Call
'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' was pulled off the air days after Jimmy Kimmel made comments about Charlie Kirk, sparking major curiosity about who made the call.
Sept. 18 2025, Published 1:48 p.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was abruptly pulled off the air days after host Jimmy Kimmel made comments about the Republican Party and Charlie Kirk, sparking major curiosity about which executive made the call.
Which Executives Pulled ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Off the Air?
Jimmy Kimmel allegedly learned about his show being put on hold via phone call.
Kimmel reportedly learned via phone call on September 17 that his show was put on hold indefinitely. The call was reportedly made by Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden, hours before Kimmel was set to film the evening’s show, per Deadline.
“Both sides were very businesslike and polite,” a company insider told the outlet, adding the pair shared a “thoughtful conversation.”
'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Put on Hold 'Indefinitely'
Jimmy Kimmel's show was put on hold indefinitely.
The conversation followed a decision made by Walden and Disney CEO Bob Iger to “preempt” Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely” to tamp down controversy.
The decision followed pressure by Nexstar, the largest broadcast and digital media company in the U.S. and operator of dozens of ABC affiliates, who issued a press release saying it “strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
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What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’?
The drama first ignited during the September 15 episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
The drama first ignited during the September 15 telecast when Kimmel made comments about Kirk’s suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, and made a joke about how the “MAGA gang” planned to use the killing for political gain.
"We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it," Kimmel said during the talk show’s opening monologue. “Many in MAGA-land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
Jimmy Kimmel Also Made a Donald Trump Joke
Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at Donald Trump.
The late-night host then poked fun at President Donald Trump after a viral video showed the government official giving a dry response to Kirk’s murder before quickly shifting to discuss the White House’s ballroom construction.
"He's at the fourth stage of grief, construction," Kimmel told his audience. "This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish."
