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ABC’s decision to quietly bring Jimmy Kimmel back on the air this week proves once again that big media protects its own, even after a national uproar. The network announced the reinstatement after an “indefinite” suspension that followed Kimmel’s controversial monologue about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel’s monologue accused “many in MAGA land” of trying to “capitalize” on the tragic Sept. 10 killing of Kirk, comments that landed him in hot water and prompted swift condemnation from conservative circles. Those remarks — and the tone of his jokes about grieving — are what sparked the backlash that led to the temporary pull-down of his show.
Let’s be blunt: Hollywood elites have a long track record of weaponizing grief when it fits their narrative, then whining about “censorship” when the rest of the country objects. Kimmel’s show has been a predictable outlet for late-night political shots for years, and yet when he crosses the line the system reflexively shields him instead of demanding real accountability.
Local broadcasters answered differently than ABC’s corporate executives — and they should be commended. Major affiliate groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, preempted Kimmel’s program and replaced it with other programming or memorial specials, asserting that his comments were offensive and out of step with their communities. Those local owners acted on principle and on behalf of viewers who aren’t represented by Hollywood’s echo chamber.
The whole episode also exposed the dangerous overlap between federal power and media business deals. FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured broadcasters to act, and that intervention set off a firestorm over government involvement in editorial decisions — even as Carr later said government pressure did not determine the suspension. Americans should be alarmed whenever regulators flirt with deciding what stays on the air.
Sinclair and other local owners have demanded more than vague corporate handshakes; they’ve called for apologies, meaningful gestures to the Kirk family, and concrete accountability before allowing Kimmel’s show back into their lineups. That pushback is exactly what free-market media looks like — local companies reflecting community standards rather than bowing to Hollywood’s self-protection. The network’s choice to reinstate Kimmel without a clear, public reckoning only deepens the distrust many Americans feel toward the coastal media elite.
Conservative outlets should also be cautious about misinformation spinning off this controversy; bogus claims about lawsuits or other dramatic legal moves have circulated online. There is no verified report that Erika Kirk has filed a defamation suit against ABC or Kimmel as of this writing, despite viral posts claiming otherwise. Americans deserve facts — and the press should prioritize them over rumor and score-settling.
At the end of the day this is about who governs the national conversation: corporate boards and celebrity networks, or the local stations and viewers who actually pay the bills. If ABC wants to keep pretending its Hollywood talent is above reproach, let them — but don’t be surprised when viewers tune out and local stations refuse to carry the next episode of late-night propaganda. Hardworking Americans expect respect for victims, accountability from loudmouth hosts, and media that serve their communities instead of lecturing them.
