Kimmel Reinstated Amid FCC Pressure, Viral Return

ABC/Disney briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live after Kimmel’s monologue about the killing of Charlie Kirk, then reinstated the show after reversing the suspension amid pressure from FCC Chair Brendan Carr. Nexstar and Sinclair preempted Kimmel’s return even after ABC/Disney reversed course, and some ABC affiliates were reportedly reluctant to air the episode. Kimmel returned to the air on Sept. 23 with a 23‑minute opening monologue denouncing government censorship and mocking President Trump. The comeback immediately went viral, drawing more than 11 million YouTube views within about 12 hours, and Nielsen ratings were expected to reflect the surge in attention. Trump angrily accused Kimmel of partisanship and threatened legal action against ABC, while commentators and legal analysts were sharply divided. Many free‑speech advocates warned the episode illustrates the dangers of “jawboning” and could strain long‑standing broadcast norms and raise concerns about government pressure, corporate self‑censorship and the obligations of local broadcasters.