ABC’s late-night schedule faced sudden upheaval this week when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was yanked off-air. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) called Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s death “unacceptable” and said this has led to an indefinite suspension. Within hours, major broadcaster Nexstar pulled the program from its stations. Disney (the parent company of ABC) publicly backed this decision. The action led to a heated debate about censorship and creative freedom across the media industry.
Jimmy Fallon opened his Tonight Show monologue that same night with a step back. He cracked jokes with more of an edge than usual as he nodded to the controversy. The studio crowd responded with applause and uneasy laughter when he said he would be covering U.S. President Donald Trump’s UK trip like he “normally would.” After that? A series of recorded audios that played over what he said, in essence, a joke on how badly late-night TV (and thereby free speech) is being censored.
Jimmy Fallon joked about getting panicked texts from his dad, who thought his son’s show had been canceled! But then the laughter faded. Fallon said, “I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he is a decent, funny, and loving guy. I hope he comes back.” It felt like more than just one host sticking up for another. These two had swapped shows once for April Fools — they are friends.
Jimmy reacts to ABC’s decision to suspend @JimmyKimmel after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking WTF? #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/v5wLrPEAOM
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) September 19, 2025
The trouble started when Kimmel called out right-wing commentators.
He slammed their reaction to the Charlie Kirk shooting as “desperate.” Almost immediately, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr responded, referring to Kimmel‘s comments as “some of the sickest conduct possible.” After that, things happened fast. Many local stations are owned by Nexstar, which announced it would immediately stop airing Kimmel’s show.
That put Disney, ABC’s parent company, in a tight spot, and within hours, the network suspended one of late-night TV’s biggest stars. Fans and competitors (like Jimmy Fallon) are wondering if the network acted too fast.
Over on X (formerly Twitter), reactions were all over the place—anger, skepticism, and some dark humor mixed in. One viewer called Fallon’s on-air reply “pretty weak,” pushing hosts to take a stronger stand against government pressure. Meanwhile, another commenter brushed off the free speech argument entirely, claiming late-night shows push “coordinated and insidious” propaganda.
A third X user thought that Jimmy Fallon’s monologue had funny moments, but it seemed too cautious about pushing boundaries. “Afraid of crossing the line and [being] more acid. Sad,” they posted. A fan, meanwhile, praised Jimmy Fallon’s segment for shifting the focus to “the release of the Epstein files,” calling it “absolute perfection.”
Late-night TV has come far beyond entertainment. Most argue about censorship, media bias, and who to trust on these shows.
ABC hasn’t announced when/if Jimmy Kimmel will return. Fallon plans to stick with his usual format, though he’s reportedly tweaking jokes on the fly. Stephen Colbert (who has also been taken off air earlier this year) revived his old “The Word” bit as a tribute to Kimmel. And Jon Stewart mocked the situation by calling himself “patriotically obedient” in a recent segment.
Whether Kimmel returns quickly or stays sidelined, one question stands. Are late-night hosts being punished for sharp political satire, or is this just the cost of joking about divisive politics?
🚨NEW: Donald Trump has called for the firing of NBC Tonight Show Host Jimmy Fallon in the wake of the canceling of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
RETWEET if you stand with @JimmyFallon against Trump! pic.twitter.com/VMswDjbwgx
— Protect Kamala Harris ✊ (@DisavowTrump20) September 18, 2025
Regardless of the outcome, the FCC’s move is an unintentional gift — new, real-world material for late-night TV monologues!
NEXT UP: Donald Trump’s Eerie Prophecy Comes True as Kimmel Axed After Colbert – Is Fallon Next?
