Americans have expressed their disappointment after Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended indefinitely this week, with many sharing concerns about what this means for freedom of speech in the country.
According to a YouGov poll carried out on Thursday – just one day after the late-night show was taken off the air following Jimmy‘s comments about Charlie Kirk‘s killing – half of Americans disapprove of ABC’s decision to suspend the program. The survey asked 2,927 US adults whether they approved or disapproved of the show’s suspension, with 35% of people saying they agreed, 50% saying they didn’t agree, and 16% saying they were not sure.
YouGov also asked in their poll whether Jimmy’s comments were acceptable, including when he said on Monday, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.” Those surveyed had split opinions, with 43% describing the comments as acceptable, 36% saying they were unacceptable and 21% saying they were unsure.
Following Jimmy’s comments, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr said on a podcast, “Frankly, when you see stuff like this – I mean, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” He added that the FCC is “going to have remedies that we can look at.”
According to YouGov, 43% of people said the FCC chairman’s comments were unacceptable, while 26% of Americans agreed with them, and 31% weren’t sure. In a separate survey of 3,010 US adults, conducted on Friday, Americans were asked about what they perceived to be the biggest threat to free speech in the country.
The poll’s results revealed that 44% of people believe the government poses the biggest threat to free speech – more than activist groups, social media, or corporations combined.
ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! came after Nexstar Communications Group said it would pull the show starting from Wednesday. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, which operates 23 ABC affiliates, said Jimmy’s comments about Kirk’s death “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
While Jimmy has not commented publicly on the cancellation, his supporters say Carr misread what the comic said and that nowhere did he specifically suggest that Robinson – the man Utah authorities allege fatally shot Kirk – was a Trump supporter. Authorities said Robinson, 22, grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but had embraced “leftist ideology.” According to his parents who spoke to investigators, he had turned politically left and pro-LGBTQ rights in the last year.
Jimmy has been one of the most familiar faces on television for two decades – and he has been the voice that helped anchor ABC in the late-night arena. The TV host and comedian now finds himself at a crossroads after being caught in a national debate over the boundaries of free speech and corporate caution.
In an interview with Variety this past summer, Jimmy was asked if he was worried that the administration would come after comedians, as it has journalists. “Well, you’d have to be naive not to worry a little bit,” he said. “But that can’t change what you’re doing.”
Jimmy’s contract with The Walt Disney Co.-owned network expires in May 2026. It remains unclear whether Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return or he reinvents himself on another platform. Earlier this summer, Jimmy said if comedians were targeted, he hoped that “even my colleagues on the right will support my right to say what I like.”
