Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Nexstar Media Group are waiting for an apology from Jimmy Kimmel after his comments about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin stirred up anger among conservatives. Kimmel was suspended from ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last week due to the backlash, but Disney announced he would return on Monday. Speculation is that Kimmel will address the controversy when he comes back on Tuesday. Both Sinclair and Nexstar are reportedly pushing for Kimmel to apologize, with sources saying there has been some “soft pressure” applied to Disney regarding this issue.
A source involved in the discussions mentioned that “everyone will accept a real apology.” There’s also awareness that Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, publicly forgave the person accused of her husband’s death, which might influence Kimmel’s response. ABC hasn’t shared Kimmel’s upcoming monologue with Sinclair and Nexstar, so it seems he will be able to address the situation freely. However, sources anticipate some form of apology or non-apology will take place.
Sinclair and Nexstar manage a number of ABC affiliates in areas that primarily support Trump, making the stakes higher for Kimmel. One source noted, “These are Charlie Kirk fans.” They believe if Kimmel genuinely apologizes, credit should go to the local stations.
The situation escalated last Monday when Kimmel called out 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the individual accused of the assassination, for attempting to frame the act in a political light. Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the Magga gang who desperately tried to characterize the child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something other than themselves.” It was on September 10th that Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University. Reports indicate that Robinson was linked romantically to his transgender partner and that a confession was released by the FBI.
