Nexstar Refuses To Air Kimmel’s Return To ABC Over Kirk Controversy
The fallout continues for late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel after his false and inflammatory claim that a MAGA supporter murdered conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Two of ABC’s largest station owners—Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group—have now announced they will no longer air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their affiliates.
Disney attempted to reinstate Kimmel this week, but the move backfired as both station groups rejected the network’s decision. Combined, Nexstar and Sinclair control dozens of local ABC affiliates, meaning Kimmel’s show will be absent from much of the country.
Nexstar said in a statement:
“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
Sinclair issued a similar announcement Monday, confirming it would replace Kimmel’s program with news programming on its ABC stations.
The controversy stems from Kimmel’s false assertion that the man charged with murdering Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was a Trump supporter. Prosecutors have made clear the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, holds leftist political views—undermining Kimmel’s claim entirely.
Despite the facts, Kimmel took aim at President Donald Trump and conservatives, saying during his broadcast:
“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.”
The comment, which ABC executives labeled “ill-timed and insensitive,” led Disney to suspend the program indefinitely. According to reports, Disney co-chair Dana Walden informed Kimmel that his refusal to apologize or retract the remarks forced the company’s hand.
A staffer for Kimmel, speaking anonymously to Too Much TV, lashed out at Trump supporters, calling them “MAGA a**hats” and claiming conservatives would never accept an apology even if Kimmel offered one. They further speculated that Disney may ultimately buy out Kimmel’s contract and replace his timeslot with reruns.
The backlash hasn’t been limited to broadcasters and executives. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said in an interview with conservative host Benny Johnson that the FCC may investigate Kimmel and ABC over the incident.
“When you look at the conduct that has taken place by Jimmy Kimmel, it appears to be some of the sickest conduct possible,” Carr said, while noting the FCC must exercise care given its potential role in judging formal complaints.
Kimmel has now been off the air since Wednesday, and with major station groups refusing to air his program, the late-night host’s future looks increasingly bleak. The broader question remains whether corporate media will continue giving cover to entertainers who smear conservatives with falsehoods in times of national tragedy.