Jimmy Kimmel’s return to television hinges on meeting specific conditions after his contentious remarks about Charlie Kirk.
Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the United States, announced on September 17 that Kimmel’s show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, would be suspended ‘indefinitely’.
This decision follows the tragic event on September 10, where political activist and Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck at a Utah Valley University debate.
Kirk was participating in an event organized by his Conservative foundation, Turning Point USA, when he was shot in front of an audience of 3,000, including his wife and two children. Kirk had previously controversially suggested that some gun deaths were ‘worth it’ to uphold the Second Amendment.
Tyler Robinson, aged 22, has been charged with several offenses, including aggravated murder and obstruction of justice, related to the incident.
Kimmel spoke on the matter during a recent episode of his long-standing TV show.
He showed a clip of Trump being questioned by a reporter outside the White House about his well-being following Kirk’s death.
Trump’s response, saying “I think very good,” before diverting to talk about renovations at his Washington, D.C. residence, was deemed unusual.
Pointing to the construction site, Trump stated: “And by the way, right there you see all the trucks. They just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they’ve been trying to get for about 150 years. And it’s gonna be a beauty. It’ll be an absolutely magnificent structure.”
Kimmel criticized these remarks, joking: “He’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”
Kimmel also shared another clip of Trump discussing Kirk’s death on Fox News, where he again shifted focus to the new White House ballroom.
The host continued his criticism: “There’s something wrong with him, there really is. Who thinks like that? We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to paint this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything but one of their own, while doing everything they can to turn it into political points.”
In response, Trump demanded that Kimmel be dismissed for his comments.
Sinclair issued a statement outlining the requirements for Kimmel’s show’s return.
The suspension will remain in effect until ‘formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability’, according to Sinclair.
Furthermore, Sinclair insists that Kimmel ‘issue a direct apology to the Kirk family’ and make a ‘meaningful personal donation’ to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.
“Regardless of ABC’s plans for the future of the program, Sinclair intends not to return Jimmy Kimmel Live! to our air until we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform,” Sinclair concluded.
Kimmel has not yet publicly addressed the situation.
Representatives for Kimmel and Jimmy Kimmel Live! were contacted for comment.