ABC News and Disney are facing boycott calls on the heels of Jimmy Kimmel Live! being pulled from the air indefinitely over remarks made by the host after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The controversy centers on remarks Kimmel made in a monologue after Kirk’s death in which he floated that the suspect in the killing, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, could be aligned with “the MAGA gang” or possibly “one of them.”

But the evidence made public by investigators strongly suggests Robinson held a leftist ideology and a related hatred of Kirk, and he had a trans partner, though prosecutors have yet to definitively confirm a motive.

The suspension followed comments by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, whose agency regulates the networks, urging licensed stations to “step up” against “this garbage”.

President Donald Trump praised the decision, saying on Truth Social: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”

• ABC said Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be “pre‑empted indefinitely.”
• Followed the decision to pull by ABC affiliate owners Nextar, Sinclair.
• Kimmel’s pulling raises questions about free expression, First Amendment rights, and political censorship.
• Nextar and Tegna’s need of FCC approval for a multi-billion dollar merger seen as driver of the Kimmel decision.
• Hollywood unions the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA condemned the move as a violation of constitutional speech rights.
• Democrats and liberal activists called for a boycott of ABC, Disney.

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Calls to boycott Disney, ABC over Kimmel suspension

Social media erupted in a backlash among Democrats and liberals to Kimmel’s show being pulled, with many calling for a boycott.

Brian Krassenstein, a political commentator who gained social media notoriety for blasting Trump, posted to X: “BOYCOTT ALERT! Disney/ABC just caved & pulled Jimmy Kimmel for political reasons. Nexstar — which owns The CW + 200+ local ABC, NBC, CBS & FOX stations — is part of the same machine.”

“Boycott Disney. Boycott Nexstar. Boycott their advertisers. Hit them where it hurts: the $$$. RESHARE,” his post concluded.

Fred Guttenberg, father of slain Parkland shooting victim, also posted on X: “The 2A killed the First Amendment. @jimmykimmel was right. If my memory is correct, these MAGAT’s ran against cancel culture. Shame on @ABCNetwork. My television will never be on ABC ever again.”

Podcast host and YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen reacted on Bluesky, saying, “See ya, Hulu.” The post included a picture of a canceled subscription.

Columnist and public speaker Wajahat Ali, wrote on X: “Every major talent that works for ABC and Disney should refuse to show up for work until Jimmy Kimmel is reinstated. Marvel movies need to shutdown. Ditto the sitcoms. Collective boycott. Corporations love money more than anything, & this will really harm them and force them to do the right thing.”

Podcast host Joanne Carducci, known as JoJoFromJerz, posted: “Boycott everything affiliated with ABC and Disney. Pass it on.”

Democratic strategist Keith Edwards wrote: “Boycott Disney. Cancel Hulu. Don’t let them get away with this.”