September 24, 2025

Hold on to your TV remotes, folks! The recent suspension of late-night star Jimmy Kimmel's show is turning out to be a rollercoaster ride. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr waved away rumors that the government pushed for Kimmel's suspension. At a New York forum on Monday, Carr boldly said, "Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that's happened at the federal government level." Sounds dramatic, right? This suspension wasn't just any boring TV break; it happened after Kimmel made sharp remarks about the assassination of conservative voice Charlie Kirk. The story got even spicier when Carr previously urged Disney and ABC affiliates to step up, warning, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." That set off a hornet’s nest of criticism from lawmakers. In response, Disney announced the show will be back on air Tuesday after talks with Kimmel. The network decided to suspend the show last week "to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country," showing how careful they wanted to be. Despite threats from Carr that local broadcasters airing Kimmel's show could face hefty fines or even lose licenses, many ABC affiliates dropped the program. Big station owner Nexstar, involved in a massive $6.2 billion merger needing FCC approval, also pulled the show. Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez lashed out, saying, "This wasn't simply a 'business decision.' This regrettable chapter is a stain on the FCC. It was a concerning moment of direct government intervention into business decisions." Adding a splash of humor and controversy, Carr was spotted celebrating with a dancing GIF from "The Office" last week after Kimmel's suspension. On social media platform X, he encouraged others not to air the show, stating, "It is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values." But not everyone is clapping Carr on the back. Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, compared Carr’s threats to a gangster film scene: "I got to say that's right out of 'Goodfellas'. That's right out of a Mafioso coming into a bar going, 'Nice bar you have here. It would be a shame if something happened to it.'" To cool down the heat, Carr clarified on Monday, explaining he wanted networks and broadcasters to handle issues about news distortion themselves. "If they don't, there's a way that's not as easy - which is someone can file a complaint at the FCC, and then the FCC ... has to adjudicate that complaint," he said. So, what’s the real scoop? Ratings drama, political fireworks, and a tug-of-war between free speech and community values, all wrapped up in the saga of Jimmy Kimmel's show! Stay tuned, because this TV drama is anything but over.

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Tags: Jimmy kimmel, Fcc, Brendan carr, Abc, Television suspension, Charlie kirk,