Jimmy Kimmel may soon see his late-night show revived, as reports indicate that he and Disney are negotiating a possible return.
According to Vanity Fair, representatives for Kimmel are engaged in advanced talks with Disney and ABC, working through details that could allow “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to continue into its 23rd season.
It remains unclear how close either side is to reaching an agreement, leaving the comedian and his team in uncertainty after the backlash from remarks he made this week about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel has privately voiced concern about what the cancellation of his program would mean for his Los Angeles-based staff, many of whom are still struggling financially after the entertainment industry shutdown during the 2023 actors’ strike.
ABC executives had previously cautioned Kimmel to avoid politically charged commentary, especially when directed at President Trump.
“I really think that when they were trying to buy Fox, they were worried that Trump was going to [mess] them up somehow and that’s part of why they were nervous about my comments. I don’t think their political beliefs conflicted with mine, but if you want to have a big audience, you don’t want to [anger] a lot of people off and I was [angering] a lot of people off,” Kimmel told Howie Mandel on Thursday.
The program is now on indefinite pause following his controversial statements about Kirk’s murder.
In last Monday’s opening segment, the 57-year-old late-night host alleged that accused killer Tyler Robinson was aligned with Trump, even though law enforcement authorities had clarified that he held a “leftist ideology.”
“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,” Kimmel said.
ABC officially pulled the show from the lineup on Wednesday, and Kimmel has ignored repeated calls to issue a public apology.
On Thursday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued a sharp warning to networks such as ABC, NBC, and CBS, reminding them that their broadcast licenses require them to act in the public interest. He said Kimmel failed in that obligation by “appearing to directly mislead the American public.”
President Trump, a frequent target of Kimmel’s on-air jabs, welcomed the suspension. He pointed to Kimmel’s “bad ratings” and pledged to take on additional late-night personalities.
Kimmel has been the host of the ABC show since 2003.
{Matzav.com}
