‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ pulled off air ‘indefinitely’; FBI director defends investigation

Published by RawNews1st

ABC reportedly chose to remove the show from its schedule “indefinitely” after Nexstar Media, which owns many local TV stations throughout the United States, threatened to preempt it from airing on any of its ABC affiliates.

Popular late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been taken off the air in response to comments made by its host about Charlie Kirk’s killing, multiple media outlets report.

Here is what happened

The decision comes a day after 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was formally charged with murder in the death of the 31-year-old conservative activist.

Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, discharge of a weapon causing serious bodily harm, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. He briefly appeared in a virtual court hearing on Tuesday afternoon, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Speaking at a press conference earlier on Tuesday, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he plans to pursue the death penalty against Robinson. “I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney, based solely on the available evidence and circumstances in nature of the crime,” Gray said. “Because we are seeking the death penalty, the defendant will continue to be held without bail in the Utah County Jail.”

Robinson is accused of firing a single shot from a rifle that killed Kirk while he was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Nexstar Media Group, which is seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, earlier said company-owned and “partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show.”

Andrew Alford, the president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said, “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located.”

“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue,” Alford said.

Note: He is the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show, that premiered in 2003, but was suspended indefinity in 2025. Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards three times, in 2012, 2016 and 2020, and the Academy Awards four times, in 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024.