On Thursday’s episode of “Late Night time,” Seth Meyers sarcastically pretended to hunt approval from Donald Trump in response to the information that ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live” off the air.
“His administration is pursuing a crackdown on free speech — and utterly unrelated, I simply need to say, earlier than we get began right here, that I’ve all the time admired and revered Mr. Trump,” he mentioned because the viewers laughed loudly. “I’ve all the time believed he was a visionary, innovator, an incredible president, an excellent higher golfer. And when you’ve ever seen me say something detrimental about him, that’s simply AI.”
Meyers jokes had been a reference to the truth that ABC made its choice about Kimmel after FCC chairman and Trump appointee Brendan Carr threatened legal action over Kimmel’s latest feedback about Charlie Kirk. Following Carr’s phrases, “Jimmy Kimmel Reside” was pulled from all ABC affiliate stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair. Manufacturing was halted on the collection indefinitely quickly after. Kimmel’s suspension has been seen by many, including former president Barack Obama, as an assault on free speech and an indication of the Trump administration intimidating media firms to “hearth reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”
On a extra critical observe, Meyers added, “It’s a privilege and an honor to name Jimmy Kimmel my buddy in the identical approach that it’s a privilege and honor to do that present each evening. I get up day by day, I depend my blessings that I dwell in a rustic that no less than purports to worth freedom of speech, and we’re gonna preserve doing our present the best way we’ve all the time executed it: with enthusiasm and integrity.”
If Trump has it his approach, Meyers and his fellow NBC late evening host Jimmy Fallon might be subsequent on the chopping block. The president wrote on Reality Social on Wednesday, “Nice Information for America: The rankings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Present is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for lastly having the braveness to do what needed to be executed. Kimmel has ZERO expertise, and worse rankings than even Colbert, if that’s attainable. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two whole losers, on Faux Information NBC. Their rankings are additionally horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
Kimmel came under fire after his Monday night broadcast, throughout which he mentioned the “MAGA mob” was “attempting to characterize this child who killed Charlie Kirk as something aside from one in all them.” The commentary drew a response from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who mentioned throughout an look on Benny Johnson’s podcast Wednesday, “We are able to do that the simple approach or the onerous approach. These firms can discover methods to alter conduct and take motion, frankly, on Kimmel or there’s going to be further work for the FCC forward.”
Within the aftermath of Kimmel’s pre-empting, Carr wrote on X, “I need to thank Nexstar for doing the suitable factor. Native broadcasters have an obligation to serve the general public curiosity. Whereas this can be an unprecedented choice, it will be important for broadcasters to push again on Disney programming that they decide falls in need of neighborhood values. I hope that different broadcasters comply with Nexstar’s lead.”
