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Popstar Olivia Rodrigo has joined the list of many celebrities who've spoken up against the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's popular late-night talk show. ABC suspended the show this week over Kimmel's controversial comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's death.
In an Instagram story dated September 20, Olivia Rodrigo shared her thoughts on the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. She shared a SAG-AFTRA post condemning the decision, and wrote:
"So upset over this blatant censorship and abuse of power. I stand with Jimmy Kimmel, and I stand for freedom of speech."
Kimmel's popular late-night show was suspended after the host suggested on Monday (September 15) that MAGA activists are trying to "score political points" from Charlie Kirk's death. The conservative activist was shot dead with a single bullet while speaking at an open-air event at Utah Valley University earlier this month.
As of this writing, Jimmy Kimmel's show is not back on air. However, Variety reports that Disney and Kimmel are working on a compromise to weigh the possibility of bringing it back on air. But there is still no guarantee that the two parties will reach an agreement after the channel stated that the show will be off air "indefinitely."
The abrupt cancellation of the show on September 17 led to mixed reactions on social media, with many criticizing the decision. Celebrities, including Ben Stiller, David Letterman, Jean Smart, and others, criticized the decision. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump celebrated the decision on social media, and Vice President JD Vance joked about the same.
Why was Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show suspended by ABC? Host's controversial comments explored
In the September 15 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the popular talk show host criticized President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He is known to be a vocal critic of the President, and mocked his reaction to Charlie Kirk's death on air. He said:
"Many in MAGA-land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk. While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical fact that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left. And by ‘statistical fact’, he means ‘complete bullsh*t.'"
He also fired shots at JD Vance, while referring to the January 6 coup of the Capitol by supporters of Trump after he was beaten in the 2020 Presidential elections by Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
"Here’s a question JD Vance might be able to answer: who wanted to hang the guy who was vice president before you? Was that the liberal left? Or the toothless army who stormed the Capitol on January 6?," Kimmel said.
Jimmy Kimmel also alluded to 22-year-old Utah native Tyler Robinson, who has been arrested as a person of interest in Charlie Kirk's murder. He claimed that Robinson is nothing other than "one of them", seemingly suggesting he is part of the "MAGA gang."
"The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving," he mentioned.
Further, he criticized how Donald Trump spoke about Kirk's death in a viral interview on the White House lawns. Apart from sharing his condolences, he noted that he would be going to the activist's funeral and had spoken to his wife, Erica, since his death.
"This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish," Kimmel said on his show.
It remains to be seen whether Disney decides to bring Kimmel's show back on air. According to Variety, the talk show host is worried about the effect that the show going off air could have on the rest of the crew and stakeholders. Many of them are also recovering from the financial crisis after the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that stopped production of content for months. However, Jimmy Kimmel is reportedly not open to accepting any conditions from ABC to bring the show back on air.
He has not made any official statements since his show's cancellation. Kimmel's current contract with ABC runs until May 2026.
