Trump Says He’s Going to Test ABC After He Was Told ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Was Canceled

**President Donald Trump Criticizes ABC Ahead of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Return**

President Donald Trump lashed out at ABC on Tuesday night ahead of the return of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*, suggesting he plans to go after the network once again.

“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his talent was never there,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added, “Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny and who puts the network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.”

Trump continued, “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad ratings.”

The social media post came within the hour of the Tuesday night return of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* after Disney decided to end the show’s indefinite suspension after six days on Monday.

Last Wednesday, Disney made the decision to suspend production on the show “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.” In a statement, the Walt Disney Company said, “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”

“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” the statement added.

Trump had initially celebrated Kimmel’s suspension after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened Disney, the “House of Mouse,” implying that Disney could handle their licenses “the easy way or the hard way.”

On the day of the suspension, Trump wrote, “Great news for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”

During a press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump doubled down: “Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk, and Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him a long time ago. So, you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”

Later that day, while on Air Force One, Trump expressed frustration with media coverage, saying, “When you have a network and you have evening shows and all they do is hit Trump, that’s all they do. If you go back, I guess they haven’t had a conservative one in years or something. When you go back and take a look, all they do is hit Trump. They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that.”

However, some conservative pundits and commentators were less enthusiastic about Trump’s remarks. Prominent figures such as Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Senator Ted Cruz suggested the president’s approach bordered on authoritarian overreach.

In response to these tensions, on Monday, 400 celebrities—including Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Pedro Pascal, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep—signed an open letter through the ACLU warning of the dangers of encroaching on America’s freedom of speech.

Despite the show’s return, local affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair decided to preempt Tuesday’s new episode across their stations, continuing their blockage of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*

*Jimmy Kimmel Live!* officially returned to ABC on Tuesday night, marking the end of a brief but highly publicized suspension period.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/trump-says-going-test-abc-025722545.html

Bill Maher Calls Out ‘The View’ Hosts for Awkwardly Staying Silent About ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Suspension as Network Imposes Strict Rules — ‘It Won’t Kill You’

**Bill Maher Calls Out The View for Ignoring Jimmy Kimmel Drama**

*Published: September 22, 2025, 1:46 p.m. ET*

Bill Maher has criticized the ladies of *The View* for staying silent amid the recent controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

### Jimmy Kimmel Live! Pulled from Air

*Jimmy Kimmel Live!* was taken off the air following comments made by the comedian regarding the MAGA crowd’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Kimmel accused the MAGA supporters of using the tragic event for “political points,” which sparked a major backlash.

### What Did Maher Say?

On Friday, September 19, during the opening monologue of his *Real Time* show, Maher addressed *The View*’s silence on the issue.

*”I’m friendly with the ladies on The View, but they didn’t say anything about this this week. Nothing,”* Maher remarked. The 69-year-old then added sarcastically, *”You know, because it’s never been their thing to weigh in on the issues. It’s just an upbeat party show. That’s why they hired people named Joy [Behar] and Sunny [Hostin] and Whoopi [Goldberg].”*

Maher further urged co-hosts Ana Navarro, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin to comment, saying:
*”Girls, go out strong, OK? It won’t kill you, I promise. It’s happened to me, and I may go out after this show. We don’t know.”*

Maher’s own show, *Politically Incorrect*, was pulled off the air back in 2001 after he made controversial comments about the 9/11 hijackers.

### Whoopi Goldberg Speaks Out

On Monday, September 22, Whoopi Goldberg responded to Maher’s remarks during *The View*.

*”Did y’all really think we weren’t going to talk about Jimmy Kimmel? I mean, have you watched the show over the last 29 seasons? No one silences us,”* she said.

She explained that the hosts took a moment to see if Kimmel would address the situation first:
*”When the news broke last week about Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, we took a breath to see if Jimmy was going to say anything about it first.”*

Whoopi emphasized the importance of free speech:
*”You can not like a show, and it can go off the air. Someone can say something they shouldn’t and get taken off the air. But the government cannot apply pressure to force someone to be silenced… we fight for everybody’s right to have freedom of speech because it means my speech is free, it means your speech is free.”*

### Kimmel’s “Controversial” Comments

The controversy began on September 15, when 57-year-old Kimmel discussed the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, and criticized Republicans’ responses.

Kimmel stated:
*”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.”*

These comments did not sit well with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who threatened “immediate action” against Kimmel, ABC, and Disney, accusing them of “deliberately misleading the public” by suggesting Robinson had right-wing leanings.

Following this, Kimmel’s show was pulled from the air, sparking backlash from the public, celebrities, and politicians, including former President Barack Obama and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Maher voiced his support during his monologue:
*”So Jimmy, pal, I am with you. I support you. And on the bright side, you don’t have to pretend anymore that you like Disneyland.”*

### How Can Kimmel Save His Show?

As of Monday, *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* remains off the air. However, there is a path for Kimmel to return: issuing an apology.

Sinclair Broadcast Group—the nation’s largest ABC affiliate group—has reportedly set forth demands for Kimmel to save his show. These include:

– Issuing a direct apology to the Kirk family
– Making a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA

Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, is a nonprofit advocating for conservative policies on high school and college campuses.

Charlie Kirk was tragically shot and killed on September 10 while hosting an event on a Utah college campus.

*Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.*
https://radaronline.com/p/bill-maher-the-view-jimmy-kimmel-live-suspension-strict-rules-whoopi/

‘Very heavy times’: Angelina Jolie reacts to free speech decline

**”Very Heavy Times”: Angelina Jolie Reacts to Free Speech Decline**

*By Shreya Mukherjee | Sep 22, 2025, 05:30 PM*

Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie recently voiced her concerns about the current state of free speech in the United States during an appearance at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival. Reflecting on the nation’s atmosphere, Jolie remarked, “I love my country, but at this time, I don’t recognize my country.”

Though she refrained from naming specific individuals or providing detailed context, her comments come amid growing controversy surrounding Disney and ABC’s decision to indefinitely suspend the popular show *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*.

### Free Speech Concerns

Jolie elaborated on her apprehensions as both an artist and an American. She shared, “My worldview is equal, united and international. Anything anywhere that divides or limits personal expressions and freedoms from anyone, I think, is very dangerous. These are such serious times that we have to be careful not to say things casually. These are very, very heavy times we are living in together.”

Her statement underscores a widespread anxiety among creatives and public figures about limitations on free expression in increasingly polarized times.

### Discontent Among Disney Stars

The suspension of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* has sparked backlash from numerous Disney-affiliated actors and filmmakers. Mark Ruffalo, known for his role as Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), expressed his criticism on Threads, warning that Disney’s stock “will go down a lot further if they cancel” Kimmel’s show permanently.

Similarly, Pedro Pascal, star of Disney’s *Fantastic Four: First Steps* and other forthcoming projects, voiced his support for Kimmel on Instagram. Other notable figures including Tatiana Maslany and Damon Lindelof also spoke out against the suspension, emphasizing solidarity within the Hollywood community.

### Suspension Details: Why Was Kimmel Suspended?

The indefinite suspension of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* followed comments made by Kimmel regarding the aftermath of a fatal shooting involving conservative speaker Charlie Kirk. Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), publicly criticized Kimmel’s remarks, fueling a social media backlash.

In response to the controversy, ABC, a Disney-owned network, decided to suspend Kimmel’s show indefinitely, a move that has intensified the debate on free speech and media responsibility.

As the discussion around free speech continues to evolve, Angelina Jolie’s candid reflections highlight the complexity and gravity of expressing oneself in today’s charged political environment.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/don-t-recognize-my-country-says-angelina-after-kimmel-speech-outcome/story

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