Howard Stern Critiques Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension on ABC
On Monday, Howard Stern expressed his outrage over ABC’s decision to suspend his close friend, Jimmy Kimmel. He referred to the action as a troubling instance of government-supported censorship and criticized broadcasters for yielding to “political intimidation.”
“I can’t keep quiet anymore,” Stern declared as he began his Sirius XM show, voicing his discontent with the situation and announcing the cancellation of his Disney+ subscription.
“Things have gotten out of hand, and I feel a responsibility to speak up,” he added.
Stern accused FCC Chairman Brendan Carr of pressuring ABC following remarks made by Kimmel regarding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“This involves ABC. They made a really poor and, frankly, dishonorable decision,” Stern stated.
Kimmel’s late-night show was taken off-air indefinitely after he made a connection between Kirk’s murderer and the Magazine movement. The White House reacted positively to this suspension, and even President Trump called for NBC to suspend Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
Stern took this decision personally, saying, “I think Jimmy is incredibly talented, and honestly, my wife is too.” He referred to Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNanny, as “close friends.”
He expressed astonishment at how quickly Disney executives capitulated to governmental threats.
“When the government starts interfering, saying, ‘If I’m unhappy, I’ll find a way to silence you,’ that’s a dangerous path for our nation. And I should know,” he remarked.
Back in the 1990s, Stern’s show was the number one radio program in the nation and a prime target for federal regulators. His syndication partner faced multiple fines from the FCC, totaling over $2.5 million between 1990 and 2004.
As regulations became stricter, Stern eventually left traditional radio for satellite, signing a $5 billion deal with Sirius in 2006 and establishing himself as a strong advocate for free speech.
On Monday, he drew parallels between the current pressures on ABC and past FCC crackdowns, asserting that broadcasters were bending to political pressure.
“They all yielded to the pressure,” Stern said, criticizing media outlets and universities that don’t stand up against such influence.
While he didn’t call for a boycott outright, he did cancel his Disney+ subscription as a gesture of protest.
Stern emphasized the importance of freedom of speech, stating, “If ABC chose to fire Jimmy for ratings or other reasons, that might be one thing, but they’re responding to government pressure. That’s not how a democracy should function.”
He wrapped up his show by urging listeners to pay attention to these issues, insisting that everyone has a responsibility to guard each other’s rights and freedoms.
Before ABC’s support for Kimmel, FCC Commissioner Carr made comments that sparked anger even among some Republicans. Senator Ted Cruz criticized Carr’s statement as inappropriate, while Senator Rand Paul labeled it “absolutely inappropriate.”
Legal experts indicated that the FCC lacks the authority to censor programming content, suggesting that Carr’s comments amounted to a form of intimidation.
Even former Disney CEO Michael Eisner condemned the suspension, labeling it as an “out of control threat” and questioned the motivations of executives who complied with Carr’s warning.
Meanwhile, Disney moved quickly to manage Kimmel’s absence, with top executives involved in the decision-making process for his suspension. Sources mentioned that the time frame for Kimmel’s return could extend for several weeks as executives assess the political implications.
This article has been circulated for comments from Disney, ABC, FCC, and the White House.
