Jimmy Kimmel backed by canceled Colbert after suspension over Charlie Kirk comments: Live updates

WorldPolitics
19 Sep 2025 • 12:01 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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Comedian Jimmy Kimmel has seen support from former and current late night show hosts, including Stephen Colbert, whose show is being canceled next year.

Kimmel’s late night show has been pulled off the air “indefinitely” after the host’s comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, reportedly leaving the comedian “livid” about the decision.

Colbert called ABC‘s decision to pause Kimmel’s show “blatant censorship” and said he stands with his colleague “100 percent” at the taping of his CBS show Thursday night.

Former late night hosts David Letterman and Jay Leno also came to Kimmel's aid.

ABC confirmed the suspension after Kimmel said earlier in the week that the “MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” from the fatal shooting of Kirk. Protests in support of Kimmel have formed outside the Los Angeles studio where the comedian’s show is filmed and outside The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.

President Donald Trump, who has shared his contempt for Kimmel in the past, celebrated Kimmel’s axing, calling it “Great News for America.” Trump also appeared to call for the ousting of other late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, who have also been critical of his presidency.

Hours before the decision was made public, Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, said his agency could hold ABC, Disney, and Kimmel accountable for the comments, claiming the late night host appeared to be making an intentional effort to mislead the public into believing that Kirk’s assassin was a Trump supporter.

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected of killing Kirk, was charged with aggravated murder, among other counts, and faces the death penalty if convicted. Authorities say he held a “leftist ideology.”

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Key points

  • ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel’s show following host’s comments about Charlie Kirk shooting
  • Trump celebrates suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show: 'Great News for America'
  • Obama says Trump has taken cancel culture to 'new and dangerous level'
  • Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, named CEO of Turning Point USA
  • In pictures: Protest forms outside Walt Disney Studios over ABC's Kimmel suspension
  • Stephen Colbert defends Jimmy Kimmel

Meet Trump’s ‘free speech warrior’ behind Kimmel suspension

05:30

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Rachel Dobkin

Alex Woodward takes a closer look at FCC Chairman Brendan Carr:

Moments after Donald Trump appointed him to regulate the nation’s broadcasters, Brendan Carr promised to “dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.”

In January, Trump called him a “warrior for Free Speech.”

Carr, now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, also wrote a chapter about the agency in Project 2025, the right-wing think-tank blueprint for Trump’s second administration. The agency, he wrote in the chapter’s first words, “should promote freedom of speech.”

Since entering the role, Carr has embraced Trump’s campaign against broadcasters who air critical coverage of his administration, investigated major networks for their diversity policies, and paved the way for ABC to remove comedian and Trump critic Jimmy Kimmel from his long-running late-night show in an apparent act of retaliation.

Carr now appears to be taking a victory lap, posting juvenile memes in response to questions from journalists about the comedian’s suspension.

Read on...

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'Obedient' Jon Stewart and The Daily Show poke fun at free speech in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

05:21

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Rachel Dobkin

Jon Stewart hosted a rare mid-week episode of The Daily Show on Thursday evening, one day after ABC suspended fellow talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s show “indefinitely” over comments he made about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Stewart, introduced as a “patriotically obedient host,” performed a satirical monologue about free speech, describing his program as “fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show.” He referred to Trump as “father” and “dear leader” as he jokingly praised the president and his recent state trip to the U.K.

“If you felt a little off these past couple of days, it's probably because our great father has not been home, for father has been gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance,” Stewart joked.

The episode comes amid public outcry over ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel’s show. The decision was announced just hours after FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Kimmel’s remarks were “truly sick” and suggested ABC’s license could be at risk over it.

Read more from Katie Hawkinson:

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Jon Stewart later posted a clip of the show on X, writing, “Dear leader approved!!!”

What you need to know, so far...

05:02

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Oliver O'Connell

  • Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has been indefinitely suspended by ABC following comments he made regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
  • Kimmel had suggested that conservatives were attempting to “score political points” from Kirk's death, leading to widespread backlash and the show being pulled by Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Nexstar Communications Group affiliates, who deemed the comments “offensive” and inappropriate.
  • Former and current late night hosts backed Kimmel, with Stephen Colbert calling ABC’s move “blatant censorship.”
  • President Donald Trump celebrated the suspension, falsely claiming it was due to poor ratings.
  • FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had indicated ABC and Disney could be held accountable for Kimmel's comments, alleging he misled the public about the assassin's ideology.
  • The suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder and other counts, with authorities stating he held a “leftist ideology.”
  • The suspension has sparked a broad debate on free speech, with figures like former President Barack Obama criticizing the administration for threatening regulatory action against media companies.
  • Kimmel is reportedly being “livid” and seeking to end his contract with ABC.

Jimmy Fallon calls Jimmy Kimmel 'decent, funny and loving guy'

04:42

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Rachel Dobkin

Comedian Jimmy Fallon called his fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel a “decent funny and loving guy” on his NBC show Thursday night.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Fallon admitted after ABC suspended Kimmel’s show “indefinitely” following comments he made about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“He’s a decent funny and loving guy, and I hope he comes back,” Fallon said about Kimmel.

Watch: Trump says network TV is 'not allowed' to constantly take hits at him

04:30

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Rachel Dobkin

Stephen Colbert brands Trump an ‘autocrat’ as he defends suspended Jimmy Kimmel

04:09

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Rachel Dobkin

Stephen Colbert has branded President Donald Trump an “autocrat” as he criticized ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show.

Colbert called ABC’s move “blatant censorship” and said he stands with Kimmel “100 percent” at the taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday night, CNBC reports. This comes after the Disney-owned network took Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air “indefinitely” over the host’s remarks about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

“With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch,” Colbert said Thursday, according to CNBC.

ABC pulled Kimmel’s show on Wednesday over comments he made during his opening monologue two days prior. Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of television stations across the country, also said that it would replace Kimmel’s show with “other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”

“We had 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 with everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

Read more from Katie Hawkinson:

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Jimmy Kimmel's time slot replaced with 'Celebrity Family Feud'

04:00

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Rachel Dobkin

The time slot for Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show has been replaced with an episode of the game show “Celebrity Family Feud” Thursday night.

The schedule switch-up comes after ABC suspended the comedian’s show “indefinitely.” It’s unclear what will fill Kimmel’s time slot regularly.

GOP senator defends Jimmy Kimmel suspension but says 'FCC should not be involved'

03:45

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Rachel Dobkin

Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has defended broadcasters' decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show but said the Federal Communications Commission “should not be involved.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had put pressure on broadcasters to “take action on Kimmel” after he made comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Democrats denounce Trump’s crackdown on critics like Jimmy Kimmel

03:15

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Rachel Dobkin

Democrats on Capitol Hill Thursday sounded the alarm that President Donald Trump’s crackdown on critics like Jimmy Kimmel is the beginning of despotic behavior. But they have few resources to combat it.

House and Senate members expressed their alarm after ABC announced Wednesday night that it would suspend Kimmel indefinitely.

Kimmel had come under fire for a monologue earlier in the week in which he spoke about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and mockingly claimed the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize” his alleged killer as “anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”

While the alleged killer’s family is MAGA-sympathetic, the suspect himself railed against that ideology and Kirk, according to authorities.

“Trump is making it 100-percent clear that he is going to ramp up his efforts to use the power of the federal government to harass and punish his critics, not because they're supporters of political violence — they are not — but because they have the audacity to openly oppose his policies,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters.

Read more from Eric Garcia:

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Military leaders are considering a recruitment campaign based around Charlie Kirk, report says

02:45

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Rachel Dobkin

Military leaders are considering a recruitment campaign geared towards honoring the legacy of conservative activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk, according to a new report.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot during an event for his conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA, at a Utah college last week.

Tributes from the MAGA world poured in following Kirk’s death as they remembered him as a great leader in the conservative movement. Kirk’s widow, Erika, who will take over as CEO of Turning Point, called him a “martyr.”

Now the Pentagon is considering a new recruitment strategy based around his death, NBC News reports. The possible campaign would be a call to service, with one potential slogan being, “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors,” according to two unnamed officials who spoke with the outlet.

Read on...

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Watch: FCC chair denies there's a 'nefarious plan' after Jimmy Kimmel's show is suspended

02:15

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Rachel Dobkin

Trump suggests networks should have licenses ‘taken away’ for being too critical

01:45

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Rachel Dobkin

Networks whose programming is largely anti-Trump should have their government-approved broadcasting license “taken away,” President Trump suggested, in comments that alarmed free expression advocates.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the president complained that networks air shows featuring coverage and commentary about him that was almost entirely negative, which meant the Federal Communications Commission could pull their licenses.

“All they do is hit Trump,” the president said. “They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that.”

As the FCC’s website notes, the commission does not license the large corporate broadcast networks like ABC or NBC, but rather the individual stations that carry their content locally. The commission also does not involve itself in content decisions.

“Broadcasters – not the FCC or any other government agency – are responsible for selecting the material they air,” according to the commission site. “The First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly prohibit the Commission from censoring broadcast matter. Our role in overseeing program content is very limited.”

Read more from Josh Marcus:

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Pedro Pascal stands with Jimmy Kimmel

01:45

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Rachel Dobkin

In a show of support Thursday, actor Pedro Pascal said he is “standing with” comedian Jimmy Kimmel after his ABC late night show was suspended.

Pascal called to defend free speech and democracy as others have done following the news Wednesday that Kimmel’s show would be paused “indefinitely” after he made comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Stephen Colbert calls suspension of Jimmy Kimmel show 'blatant censorship'

01:30

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Rachel Dobkin

Comedian Stephen Colbert has called ABC’s decision to suspend fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show “blatant censorship.”

“Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel,” Colbert said during a taping for Thursday night’s show, per the New York Post. “Yesterday after threats from Trump’s FCC chair, ABC yanked Kimmel off the air indefinitely. That is blatant censorship.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had put pressure on broadcasters to “take action on Kimmel” after he made comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Colbert also seemingly took aim at President Donald Trump, telling his audience, “With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch.”

Both Kimmel and Colbert had been critical of Trump.

Paramount announced its decision to cancel Colbert’s show at the end of May 2026, citing purely financial reasons.

During a question-and-answer session before his show’s taping, Colbert said, “I’ll say this for my network. They wouldn’t have done this. Now regardless of what you think, that has already been done and how that looks, this is weak. This is blatant censorship,” the NY Post reported.

Kimmel defended Colbert when Paramount made its announcement in July that his show was being axed, writing on an Instagram story, “Love you Stephen. F*** you and all your Sheldons CBS,” an apparent reference to CBS’s show “Young Sheldon.”

NEWS ANALYSIS: Trump and his FCC chair preached protecting free speech. The Jimmy Kimmel move shows they want to control it

01:15

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Rachel Dobkin

John Bowden writes:

With Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘indefinite’ benching seemingly coming at the behest of the Federal Communications Commission, Donald Trump is fast-tracking into a new stage of his bid for complete control of America’s institutions.

The announcement by ABC Wednesday that Kimmel’s show was being pulled off the air until further notice was seemingly confirmation of the most extreme assumptions of First Amendment advocates: Trump, as president, will not be satisfied until dissenters are completely purged from sight — and he’s willing to pull the levers of federal power to achieve those ends.

It’s an audacious but not necessarily unpredictable move from a president who, on his very first day in office, issued a proclamation vowing the end of “federal censorship” and the restoration of “free speech.”

At the FCC, chair Brendan Carr seems to be moving into a role effectively serving as the president’s censor, utilizing a coercive carrot-and-stick method of persuasion that can largely be described as a mixture of legal threats against media companies who fight back and deference towards those that toe the line.

Read on...

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Jimmy Kimmel seen heading into building housing legal offices: report

01:00

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Rachel Dobkin

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel was seen Thursday heading into a Los Angeles building that houses legal offices, according to a New York Post report.

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Full story: Charlie Kirk’s widow named new Turning Point USA head

Friday 19 September 2025 00:45

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Oliver O'Connell

Erika Kirk, the widow of the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, will take over his Turning Point USA organization in the wake of her husband’s assassination on a Utah university campus last week.

“We will carry on,” Turning Point leadership wrote in a letter made public on X, announcing the unanimously approved change. “The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become our chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before.”

Josh Marcus reports.

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Nexstar denies its decision to pause Jimmy Kimmel show was about FCC pressure

Friday 19 September 2025 00:15

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Rachel Dobkin

Nexstar Media Group has denied its decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show was because of pressure Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr put on broadcasters.

Gary Weitman, Nexstar’s chief communications officer, told Variety, “The decision to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ was made unilaterally by the senior executive team at Nexstar, and they had no communication with the FCC or any government agency prior to making that decision.”

Nexstar, the largest owner of television stations in the U.S., said Wednesday it would not air Kimmel’s show on its ABC-affiliated stations “for the foreseeable future” after comments the comedian made about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

ABC later suspended Kimmel’s show “indefinitely.”

Hours before Nexstar announced its decision, Carr told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."

Carr had called Kimmel’s comments “some of the sickest conduct possible.”

Kimmel said on his show Monday: “We had 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 with everything they can to score political points from it.”

Trump won't rule out ‘vast terrorist movement’ in the US

Thursday 18 September 2025 23:45

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Oliver O'Connell

During an interview with Fox News, President Donald Trump was asked if there was a vast terrorist movement in the U.S. responsible for killing Charlie Kirk and for the two attempts on his own life.

“You never know,” the president replied. “And we’ll find out, maybe.”

In the meantime, his administration is "going to do a big thing in respect to antifa, which is a sick group."

Trump says he plans to designate antifa as a “major terrorist organization.”

Short for “anti-fascists,” antifa is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups and is not a singular entity, which makes designating it as an organization somewhat difficult.

Trump said his efforts mean: “We’re going in and we’re saying they incite riots, and therefore you go to jail for one year.”

With reporting from the AP

Trump gives rambling answer when pressed about attacks on First Amendment

Thursday 18 September 2025 23:15

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Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump gave a rambling answer when pressed about free speech concerns after right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was killed last week.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News’s Martha MacCallum on Thursday from Chequers, the U.K. Prime Minister’s country home. Trump has since departed the U.K. following a two-day state visit, which included a star-studded state banquet and a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Katie Hawkinson has the story.

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Kirk producer says late activist would want South Park episode reinstated

Thursday 18 September 2025 23:00

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Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Kolvet, the producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, told Paramount+ to continue airing the South Park episode that mocks Kirk.

“As someone who can speak with some authority on this, Charlie loved that he was featured in ‘South Park.' He told me many times. He would want the episode back up,” he tweeted.

The network pulled the episode after Kirk’s assassination on September 10.

The August 6 episode, titled “Got a Nut,” saw the character Cartman imitate Kirk’s hairstyle and set up a table to debate students on politics, as he had.

Pentagon considers Charlie Kirk-focused recruiting campaign

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:45

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Oliver O'Connell

The Pentagon is reportedly weighing a contentious new military recruitment drive that would encourage young people to enlist by honouring the legacy of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, NBC News reports, citing two officials with knowledge of the plans.

The proposed campaign aims to frame military service as a “national call to service,” the sources said.

Among the slogans reportedly discussed by Pentagon leaders is: “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors.” Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defence for personnel and readiness, is said to be spearheading this initiative.

Further details suggest that the potential campaign could see chapters of Kirk’s political organisation, Turning Point USA, at schools across the United States, repurposed as military recruitment centres. This might involve inviting recruiters to attend events or placing military advertisements within these chapters, one official clarified.

President Donald Trump has previously credited Kirk and Turning Point USA with contributing to his 2024 election victory

'Outraged' Senate Democrats ask FCC Chair to turn over communications with ABC

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:35

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Oliver O'Connell

Senate Democrats have asked FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to turn over any communications with ABC regarding Jimmy Kimmel.

In a letter to Carr, the senators say they are “outraged” by the comments he made on Benny Johnson’s podcast.

They continue to say that it is “unacceptable for the FCC Chairman to threaten a media organization because he does not like the content of its programming—it violates the 1st Amendment that you claim to champion.”

Watch: Trump mocks Kimmel with Oscars clip of Kimmel mocking Trump

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:27

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Oliver O'Connell

Secret Service probing Kirk shooting suspect’s gaming history

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:15

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Oliver O'Connell

Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter of Charlie Kirk, used Donald Trump’s name as a pseudonym on the Steam video game platform, Bloomberg reports, as law enforcement continues to build a profile on the alleged assailant.

The Secret Service has joined the investigation into the shooting, even though Kirk wasn’t under the agency’s protection, the outlet reports, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Agents are working with the FBI to examine Robinson’s behavior and online activity, including his use of Trump’s name on Steam, as part of a profile they are creating, according to one person who asked not to be named discussing the investigation.

The intention is to understand how suspects develop grievances, how they choose targets, and whether their actions indicate wider risks to current or former officials.

The 11-year-old Steam account, reviewed by Bloomberg, mainly uses Robinson’s long-standing online username. It shows an account that seems to belong to his partner as a friend. Some comments on the account were made unavailable shortly after Bloomberg contacted Valve, the company that owns Steam, for comment.

Kamala Harris says attacking critics 'outright abuse of power'

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:06

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Oliver O'Connell

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has called the Trump administration’s attempt to “silence anyone who speaks out” an “outright abuse of power.”

She wrote on X: “What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power.

“This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out. Media corporations — from television networks to newspapers — are capitulating to these threats.

“We cannot dare to be silent or complacent in the face of this frontal assault on free speech.

“We, the People, deserve better.”

Starbucks throws barista under the bus over refual to write Charlie Kirk's name on customer orders

Thursday 18 September 2025 22:00

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Oliver O'Connell

Starbucks has issued a statement clarifying its company policy after an employee “refused” a customer’s request to write Charlie Kirk’s name on their cup.

The murder of 31-year-old Kirk, a right-wing political activist, on September 10 has further polarized an already divided nation and sparked fierce debate about free speech across the country.

In a now-viral TikTok video, a woman claimed that “Starbucks refused to write or say Charlie Kirk’s name. I never went in talking about politics, just mentioned his name to have it written on my cup to honor him.”

Inga Parkel reports on what happened next.

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Jimmy Kimmel is latest TV host to get into trouble — here are some of the others...

Thursday 18 September 2025 21:45

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Oliver O'Connell

Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from late-night is not the first time a TV host has faced pushback or punishment for their on-air comments or off-air actions.

Career fabrications, romances, racial discussions, conflicts of interest, slurs, lewd language and sexual assault: TV hosts have faced career repercussions or pushback for all of the above. But the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! amid their hosts’ vocal anti-Trump stances has lately put the spotlight on humor and free speech.

Late-night TV talk shows have drifted deeper into politics since the days when Johnny Carson ruled the airwaves. Kimmel, Colbert, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Greg Gutfeld and John Oliver have all leaned heavily on political satire to draw laughs.

Read on...

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'This is misery': David Letterman laments Kimmel suspension

Thursday 18 September 2025 21:30

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Oliver O'Connell

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Late-night legend David Letterman has delivered a scathing critique of ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel, branding the situation “misery.”

Speaking at The Atlantic Festival 2025 in New York on Thursday, Letterman said: “I feel bad about this.”

He expressed deep concern, warning, “We see where this is all going, correct? It’s managed media. And it’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. And 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. That’s just not how this works.”

Letterman, with over three decades in late-night television, also stressed that “The institution of the president of the United States ought to be bigger than a guy doing a talk show.”

He concluded by sharing that Kimmel had texted him that morning, adding, “He’s up in bed, he’s taking nourishment.”

Watch the interview with Letterman via The Atlantic:

Watch: WGA members protest outside Disney HQ over the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

Thursday 18 September 2025 21:23

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Oliver O'Connell

In pictures: Protest forms outside Walt Disney Studios

Thursday 18 September 2025 21:12

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Oliver O'Connell

Protesters have gathered outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, over ABC’s decision to “indefinitely” suspend Ji