Disney bosses are scrambling to convince Jimmy Kimmel to tone down his rhetoric before putting his show back on the air as the company scrambles to manage fallout from his fiery monologue about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The House of Mouse is said to be keen on resuming the airing of Kimmel’s one-hour talk show, and top bosses were scheduled to meet late Thursday with the longtime host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in a bid to de-escalate the situation, which has led to death threats and doxxing of staffers, according to reports.
The earliest the show could return is this Monday, though it is unclear if Disney can come to a resolution with Kimmel before then, it was reported by Bloomberg News.
Kimmel was seen leaving his Los Angeles home on Thursday and driving to his attorney’s office.
The suspended host was spotted in his sleek black Audi S8 wearing sunglasses and smirking as he arrived at a Century City complex that houses several law firms.
ABC yanked “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air Wednesday after Kimmel used his Monday show to blast Republicans for “trying to score political points” off Kirk’s death.
Kimmel incorrectly insinuated that Kirk’s alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah, was a MAGA follower.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr quickly warned the agency could review ABC’s broadcast licenses, while affiliates Sinclair and Nexstar threatened to stop carrying the show altogether.
Disney executives, including CEO Bob Iger and entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, convened with Kimmel after his suspension, weighing whether the program could return by Sept. 22, people familiar with the talks told Bloomberg.
But insiders said the company is equally focused on security, after employees began receiving death threats and saw their personal information leaked online, according to several reports.
Before the taping of Kimmel’s show on Wednesday, the host planned to blast MAGA and Trump officials for purposely distorting his words.
He reportedly shared his intentions with Walden.
Walden told colleagues she feared Kimmel’s plan to address the controversy on-air Wednesday would worsen the situation, the Wall Street Journal reported.
After huddling with Iger, she informed Kimmel the show would be pulled indefinitely.
The decision sparked outrage in Hollywood. Former late-night host David Letterman blasted Disney at an Atlantic event, saying, “You can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office.”
“Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof posted that he wouldn’t want to work for a company that benched Kimmel.
Unions for actors and producers also criticized the suspension, calling it a chilling move that could push other comedians to self-censor.
Kimmel, 57, has hosted the ABC show since 2003 and was in the middle of planning a live Brooklyn broadcast this month.
The program, which loses money but draws loyal viewers, is one of Disney’s last footholds in late-night after CBS announced Stephen Colbert’s show will end in 2026.
President Trump, who has long sparred with Kimmel, seized on the turmoil.
“Bad ratings, lack of talent,” he said Thursday aboard Air Force One when asked why the host was sidelined. On Truth Social, he suggested NBC cancel Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers next.
Here’s the latest on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension after Charlie Kirk comments
Carr, who praised Sinclair and Nexstar for dropping the show, said local stations have an “obligation to serve the public interest.”
Both broadcasters face pending FCC business, including Nexstar’s $6.2 billion bid for Tegna, which requires agency approval.
The suspension has rattled ABC advertisers, some of which told the Journal they may shift commercial buys or demand refunds for the canceled shows.
Inside Disney, executives stressed to Kimmel that they want to de-escalate, sources told Bloomberg. They have not asked him to apologize, and he has no plans to.
Meanwhile, staffers remain on edge. John Wolk, a standards and practices employee on the show, posted on Facebook: “We live in very unnerving and surreal times which is all I’ll say now on the matter.”
The El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Hollywood, where Kimmel tapes his show, has ramped up security in recent days.
Former President Barack Obama accused Trump of embracing “his own version of cancel culture.” A Democratic senator called the suspension political censorship.
Legal experts warned that networks are likely to cave under regulatory pressure. “Whenever the cudgel has been pretty significant, sooner or later the network caved,” media lawyer Lee Levine told the Journal.
ABC is still holding commercial spots for “Kimmel Live!” in case the program returns next week. But as of Friday, no decision has been made on when — or if — Kimmel will be back on the air.
The Post has sought comment from Disney and ABC.
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