Even before ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, the podcast landscape, especially within conservative and “manosphere” communities, was buzzing with intense discussions about free speech, cancel culture, and the delicate balance between humor and offensive remarks.
Many podcasters from these circles were united in their belief that Kimmel propagated misinformation during his Monday telecast. They pointed to his statement about Tyler Robinson, the individual accused of murdering Charlie Kirk, where Kimmel claimed conservatives were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
However, the responses from these hosts diverged significantly when considering the role of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr. Hours before ABC’s announcement, Carr hinted in an interview that the regulatory body might take action against the network due to Kimmel’s statements.
Voices in Favor of the Suspension
Stephen K. Bannon, political strategist and host of “Bannon’s War Room”: On Thursday, Bannon expressed satisfaction, stating, “I love hearing these people squeal,” referring to those criticizing the suspension. He added, “people are contacting me saying, ‘Hey, can you get on here to debate about the First Amendment?’ We ain’t debating anything. We’re taking action.”
Photo: Steve Bannon records his podcast “War Room” in Washington, D.C., in 2023.
Bannon further asserted that Kimmel’s termination stemmed from his alleged defamation of the MAGA movement and his consistent “denigration of Charlie Kirk’s memory through falsehoods.”
He also linked CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and ABC’s suspension of Kimmel’s program to a broader agenda aimed at eliminating late-night hosts from broadcast television. “Two down, two to go,” he declared, implicitly referring to the hosts of “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night With Seth Meyers” on NBC.
“Now we have a scalp in Jimmy Kimmel,” Bannon concluded, ominously predicting, “And there are gonna be many, many, many more scalps.”
Photo: The conservative commentators Ben Shapiro, left, and Michael Knowles.
“The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show”: During an extensive discussion, Clay Travis referenced past controversies involving Roseanne Barr, who was dismissed by ABC from her sitcom in 2018 after making racist comments on Twitter. He also cited actress Gina Carano, removed from the Disney Plus show “The Mandalorian” for social media remarks likening being a Republican in 2021 to being Jewish during the Holocaust.
Travis argued, “When you create a culture where someone can be fired when they say something that is considered offensive, you have created the standards by which your own stars can also be fired.” He added, “if you didn’t say a word about Roseanne, and you didn’t say a word about Gina Carano, I don’t understand how you think you have the moral high horse or legitimacy to suddenly ride in and say, ‘Oh my goodness, look at what they’re doing to Jimmy Kimmel.’”
Later in Travis’s show, Eric Trump suggested that ABC’s suspension of Kimmel was not due to government interference. “Listen, the guy has been a jerk,” Trump stated about Kimmel. “He hasn’t been funny. But, honestly, I think the network used this as a way to get him out based on, you know, bad ratings.”
“Louder With Crowder”: Steven Crowder highlighted that Kimmel’s suspension was a “voluntary” action by a private company, expressing no regret over the decision.
“The Michael Knowles Show”: Michael Knowles lauded ABC’s decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as a “great move.” He advocated for more aggressive intervention from the FCC, admitting this position might be unpopular with libertarians and “squishy types.”
“The joke in poor taste is a little bit of a red herring,” Knowles stated. “It’s the lies that we’re talking about here, because these news networks are not merely private corporations. These news networks are licensed broadcasters. They require licenses from the government. They have a purpose, which is, in the case of news, to tell the truth, to inform the public.”
Views Opposing the Suspension
“Flagrant,” hosted by Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh: Akaash Singh voiced concerns about the suspension, calling ABC’s action “a big attack on free speech” during a 15-minute segment with fellow regulars Alexx Media and Mark Gagnon.
Singh commented, “It is funny to watch right wing people just become left wing people.”
He asserted, “In terms of censorship, freedom of speech is more under attack now, honestly, than I think it has ever been.” While he received some disagreement on whether his statement was hyperbolic, all participants agreed that Kimmel’s original remarks were inappropriate.
Photo: Demonstrators protest the suspension of the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show in Los Angeles.
“Charlie Kirk should have been allowed to say the things we didn’t like,” Singh declared. “Jimmy Kimmel should be allowed to say the things we didn’t like. That’s just what America is.”
“Real Coffee,” hosted by Scott Adams, cartoonist and political commentator: Scott Adams unambiguously stated, “I’m on Jimmy Kimmel’s side.”
Adams drew parallels to his own past experiences, recalling a 2023 YouTube video where he controversially labeled Black Americans a “hate group” and advised white people to avoid them. The ensuing backlash led to the cancellation of his “Dilbert” comic strip syndication and a planned book release.
“Would I like some revenge?” Adams mused during his Thursday podcast. “Yes. Yes, I would enjoy that. But that doesn’t mean I get it. That doesn’t mean I should pursue it. Doesn’t mean the world’s a better place if it happens.”
He concluded, “Do I think I should have been canceled? Nope. Do I think Roseanne should have been canceled? Nope. And I’m not going to change my mind because it’s Jimmy Kimmel.”
A Nuanced Perspective
“The Ben Shapiro Show”: Ben Shapiro expressed satisfaction at Kimmel’s altered circumstances, frequently reiterating his disapproval of the host and his program. However, he also offered a critical analysis of the situation and its potential future implications.
“I do not want the FCC in the business of telling local affiliates that their licenses will be removed if they broadcast material that the FCC deems to be informationally false,” Shapiro stated. “Why? Because one day the shoe will be on the other foot.”
Shapiro emphasized the need for a high standard before the FCC intervenes regarding false information. He warned, “I’m just telling you, if Democrats win the presidency and you got a Democrat in charge of the FCC — you got Adam Schiff in charge of the FCC — you know which affiliates are going to get threatened? All of the Fox affiliates. You know that’s going to happen.”