Local TV stations say they will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! despite Disney-owned ABC bringing back the comedian’s late-night show – a week after he was suspended for comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Nexstar and Sinclair, which together run dozens of stations affiliated to ABC, said they would continue to replace the show with regular programming on Tuesday.
“Mr Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” Sinclair’s vice-chairman Jason Smith said.
The liberal comedian’s show was yanked off air last week after his monologue about the shooting of Kirk caused uproar.
Nextstar, one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US, said in a statement on Tuesday: “We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse.
“We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
Nexstar is currently trying to close a $6.2 billion deal to acquire its rival Tegna, which would require a green light from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the US broadcasting regulator.
Read the rest at bbc.com.
During his entire TV career, I think I’ve watched Kimmel for all of about twenty minutes. He sucked then and he sucks now.