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Topics: Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Kirk, Film and TV, US News
Ellie Kemp
Topics: Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Kirk, Film and TV, US News
Jimmy Kimmel viewers have pointed out a major irony after his late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was suspended for comments he made following Charlie Kirk's death.
The Conservative activist was shot dead by a single bullet to the neck at a debate at Utah Valley University last Wednesday (September 10).
The 31-year-old, a close friend and ally of Donald Trump, was killed in front of a crowd of 3,000 people, with his friend, Frank Turek, saying Kirk was 'killed instantly and felt absolutely no pain'.
In the opening monologue of Monday's show, Kimmel mocked how Trump deflected to talking about a new White House ballroom when a reporter asked how he was coping with Kirk's death.
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Kimmel also claimed that the 'MAGA gang' was 'desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them' and accused them of political point-scoring.
Following backlash, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest ABC affiliate, confirmed the show had been suspended indefinitely.
They also set out the three demands Kimmel must meet for his show to return to the air.
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Now, Jimmy Kimmel Live! viewers have pointed out that the situation is pretty ironic, given how Kimmel got his start in the industry.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Bill Maher’s late-night show Politically Incorrect became the centre of national controversy.
On September 17, 2001, Maher spoke with Dinesh D’Souza, a Conservative commentator, who pushed back on the idea that the hijackers were 'cowards', to which Maher responded by saying: "But also, we should — we have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly."
The remark, which the 69-year-old later clarified was a critique of US policy rather than soldiers, was immediately condemned.
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Advertisers pulled their spots, ABC affiliates faced angry viewers, and Maher was forced to issue a public apology, where he said: "In no way was I intending to say, nor have I ever thought, that the men and women who defend our nation in uniform are anything but courageous and valiant, and I offer my apologies to anyone who took it wrong."
ABC issued their own statement in support of Maher, saying that the program was a show that celebrates freedom of speech and encourages the animated exchange of ideas and opinions.
"While we remain sensitive to the current climate following last week's tragedy … there needs to remain a forum for the expression of our nation's diverse opinions." they continued.
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However, by June 2002, the backlash had effectively ended the program. Politically Incorrect's cancellation paved the way for ABC’s next major late-night experiment: Jimmy Kimmel.
In January 2003, the network debuted Jimmy Kimmel Live! as its new flagship late-night offering (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Now, more than two decades on, Kimmel himself finds himself in effectively the same situation as his predecessor.
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One user pointed out the apparent coincidence on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "The fact that Kimmel replaced Bill Maher after he was cancelled for his 9/11 comments."
A second said: "None of this is new. If Kimmel is talented like Bill, he’ll get a new show on HBO. Or start a podcast on YouTube - let the people decide if they actually like you!"
They added: "Cancelation mostly affects those who had establishment perches that outweigh their raw talent these days."
Kimmel has yet to comment on his show's suspension.