ABC will be airing reruns of “Celebrity Family Feud” instead of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Wednesday, while Charlie Kirk’s “Special Memories” will be showcased on Sinclair’s affiliate station this Friday.
The decision to replace Kimmel’s show came after the comedian made controversial remarks regarding the murder of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, with the show now suspended “indefinitely.”
Typically, at 11:35 PM, Kimmel interviews celebrities, delivers comedic monologues, and hosts musical acts.
Rob Lowe and Grace Van Patten, known for “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” are slated to appear on Kimmel’s show, alongside musical guest Margo Price.
Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate network in the U.S., announced in a statement that during Kimmel’s slot, they will air “a special in Charlie Kirk’s memory” and similar programming across all Sinclair stations this weekend.
Kimmel, 57, received significant backlash after he was accused of trying to capitalize on Kirk’s tragic death. A conservative activist was tragically shot on a university campus in Utah on September 10th.
Sinclair had initially planned to “air a special broadcast in Charlie Kirk’s memory” during Kimmel’s time slot on Friday.
Kimmel remarked in his monologue, “We reached new lows over the weekend alongside the Maga gang, who want to paint this shooter as something different from themselves.”
The broadcasting group has stated that Kimmel’s show will remain off-air until a formal discussion with ABC regarding professionalism and accountability takes place.
The company is also calling on talk show hosts to directly apologize to Kirk’s family and to make meaningful donations to them and to Kirk’s conservative organization, Turning Point USA.
Jason Smith, Vice-Chairman, expressed that Kimmel’s comments were highly inappropriate and insensitive, especially given the context of the situation.
He added, “The broadcaster should promote respectful and constructive dialogue within the community. Today’s announcement underlines the necessity for the FCC to take regulatory action concerning the power held by large national networks over local broadcasts.”
The sudden suspension of Kimmel’s show followed Nexstar’s decision affecting 32 ABC affiliate stations.
Nexstar released a statement confirming that it would preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for the foreseeable future due to the comments made by the host.
Nexstar voiced strong opposition to Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s murder, intending to replace the show with other programming in the ABC-related markets.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has been an ABC mainstay since it first aired in 2004.
