Sports media personality Bill Simmons weighed in on the indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel from The Jimmy Kimmel Show on ABC. Simmons, a frequent guest on the program, called the network’s move “censorship” rather than a matter of cancel culture.
“If the FCC can leverage some affiliates to get rid of it, then that becomes a different story,” Simmons said, referencing ongoing corporate mergers that could have influenced the decision. “You have NextStar merging with Tegna… they need FCC approval. The guy who runs it, appointed by Trump, sees an opportunity to leverage some stuff….If you want to get rid of a show like Jimmy’s, this is the moment to do it.”
Simmons cited a Rolling Stone report that ABC, Disney, and affiliated executives convened emergency meetings ahead of the suspension. “Multiple execs felt that Kimmel had not actually said anything over the line, which I agree with. But the threat of Trump administration retaliation loomed. And that’s why this isn’t cancel culture. This is censorship, which is a completely different situation,” Simmons said.
Despite the suspension, Simmons sees potential for Kimmel’s return. “There was such a groundswell against Disney this week that I actually think this…maybe this flips,” he said. Simmons emphasized the importance of standing by long-tenured talent.
“At some point, you got to stand for something. At some point, you got to stand by a person who has been one of the best people you’ve had for 20 plus years…Once you start losing your faces, you just don’t have a soul anymore. You’re just another place that’s pumping out content,” said Simmons.
Simmons also questioned whether Kimmel even needs ABC to continue his career. “The bigger question for me, why does Jimmy need ABC anymore?…I’ve been in this situation 11 years ago and 10 years ago. When your life and career blows up in one second and all these people are reaching out, it’s pretty overwhelming. I don’t know why he needs ABC,” Simmons said.
Despite his skepticism, Simmons expressed hope for both Kimmel and the network.
“I hope Jimmy’s show sticks around and I hope ABC sticks by him. And I think if they don’t, I think it would be pretty cowardly. But if they don’t stick by him and this is the end. I think he’s going to be fine,” Simmons said.
The comments come amid heightened scrutiny over network responses to political pressure and ongoing debates over the boundaries between free expression and corporate caution. Simmons’ remarks frame the suspension as a pivotal moment for ABC, testing whether the network will defend a prominent voice in late-night television or yield to external pressures.
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It’s weird why noone sees what’s really going on with Jimmy Kimmel and ABC. It appears ABC suspended Kimmel so its subsidiary company, ESPN, can win government approval for a multi-billion dollar deal with the NFL Network.
Kimmel was supposedly shelved over his mean-spirited sarcasm about the “MAGA gang”, the assassination of Charley Kirk and President Trump.
But a proposed mega deal might explain why Kimmel was really suspended:
1. Kimmel’s employer, ABC, is suffering from declining viewership and advertising revenue. (Note: ABC is a subsidiary of Disney and owns 80% of ESPN. ).
2. ESPN wants to win federal regulatory approval on its proposed deal to give the NFL a 10% equity stake in ESPN … worth an estimated $2.5 to $3 billion. ESPN would get additional content and rights to broadcast 3 more NFL games per season for the launch of ESPN’s new consumer streaming service, costing fans $29.99 a month (https://lnkd.in/g8SNZCR2).
In addition, Disney+ plans start at $9.99/month for the Basic (ad-supported) plan and go up to $15.99/month or $159.99/year for the Premium (ad-free) plan. There are also bundled options for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, with prices varying based on ads and the combination of services.
You might also remember an NFL public-relations gambit to help President Trump improve the nation’s capital: In May 2025, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell visited the White House, where President Trump announced that Washington, D.C., would host the 2027 NFL Draft.
3. But ESPN cannot close the NFL Network deal unless it gets federal regulatory approval and President Trump is likely to be an influence on the deal:
— Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division will conduct a substantive review of the deal to ensure it does not harm competition in the media marketplace. The clearance process could take up to a year.
— Federal Communications Commission (FCC) oversees broadcast licensees, and since ESPN’s parent company, Disney, also holds broadcasting licenses, the FCC will review the deal.
— Congress is being lobbied by the NFL. The league claims the purchase would benefit consumers, while members of Congress are concerned about the ever-rising cost of viewing NFL games.
President Trump had already predicted Kimmel would be fired. Kimmel’s behavior isn’t worthy of him keeping the job, but will consumers benefit from a massive ESPN/NFL deal?
The decision to fire Kimmel has been looming all year. ABC late-night has been bleeding money and viewers. Kimmel’s “humor” is nonexistent and his monologs are good for giving viewers nightmares. Some comments by Corbell are sound.
Maybe Disney is willing to bring Kimmel back since he has new support from. the left wing radicals simply because they hate Trump but, that won’t happen. Trump didn’t fire Kimmel if he could kick a show off TV it would’ve happened to The View years ago. Kimmel just sucks as a late night host and as a comedian. I’d rather watch infomercials abt parasites than watch Jimmy.