Supporters of Jimmy Kimmel are expressing their outrage after President Trump urged ABC to dismiss the late-night host due to “hateful” jokes aimed at him and the First Lady. To voice their concerns, they plan to set up billboards near the network’s office.
The advocacy group MoveOn is spearheading this campaign. They will deploy mobile billboards around Disney and ABC locations in Los Angeles, calling on the new Disney CEO, Josh D’Amaro, to “defend free speech” and resist FCC censorship.
According to MoveOn, these billboards will circulate near Disney Headquarters, ABC Television Group, ABC 7, and Disney’s offices in Burbank, California.
This initiative was triggered by Trump’s request for ABC to fire Kimmel, following the host’s comment referencing First Lady Melania Trump as a “pregnant widow” just days prior to the election, amidst heightened tensions outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
In response to Kimmel’s remarks, the FCC initiated an investigation into ABC’s television license.
Feeling tense, MoveOn officials decided to take visible action in support of Kimmel, who has been openly critical of Trump. One billboard features a photo of Trump with his eyes blacked out, stating, “Don’t give in to government censorship. Keep Jimmy Kimmel on the air!”
Another billboard shows Kimmel with the claim, “Nearly 3 in 4 Americans believe the First Amendment should protect civilian speakers.”
During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Kimmel joked about the first lady, saying, “Look at Melania, she’s so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have the glow of a pregnant widow.”
After an attempted assassination incident, Melania Trump labeled Kimmel a “coward,” suggesting he hides behind ABC, which, she claims, protects him.
She further stated, “Enough is enough. It’s time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership allow Kimmel’s cruel remarks at the cost of our community?”
Following Melania’s statement, President Trump took to social media, asserting that “Jimmy Kimmel should be fired immediately by Disney and ABC,” criticizing him as “not at all funny.”
On Thursday night, MoveOn projected a message against censorship onto the FCC headquarters in Washington, D.C., claiming that the current climate represents a blatant assault on the First Amendment, designed to intimidate critics and retaliate against comedians who express free speech via satire.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr countered assertions linking the agency’s investigation with the Trump-Kimmel feud, clarifying that the review of Disney’s ABC stations was related to the company’s diversity and inclusion policies, rather than the controversy.
Trump’s demand for Kimmel’s firing is reminiscent of a similar uproar from the previous year, when the host faced backlash and was temporarily taken off the air due to remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The California Post has reached out to both MoveOn and Disney for further commentary.
