Overview

• Kimmel opened his first show back by saying he never intended to make a joke about Charlie Kirk’s killing and clarified he was not blaming any political group.
• Sinclair said it will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC stations and replace it with news, leaving significant distribution gaps while talks with ABC continue.
• Disney suspended production on Sept. 17 after affiliates balked at Kimmel’s earlier monologues, then brought the program back following an agreement with the host.
• FCC chair Brendan Carr publicly warned broadcasters that the commission could take action over the episode, intensifying concerns about government pressure on speech.
• More than 400 Hollywood figures signed an ACLU-backed letter defending Kimmel, as analysts noted the show generated about $51.1 million in 2024 late‑night ad revenue for ABC.