Kimmel is back, but Disney's political problem is not over

Under pressure from fans, free speech advocates and even some Republicans, the media giant reinstates the TV host, and it is still likely in the crosshairs of the FCC

- By Ryan Faughnder

Disney wanted to be done with politics. But politics wasn’t done with Disney.

It never is.

The debate over the future of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” became a full-blown crisis for Walt Disney Co., which owns the show’s broadcast network, ABC.

Last week, the tale took a new turn. Kimmel was coming back, after all.

On Sept. 17, “we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” Disney said in a statement. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.

“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

Pressure mounted on Disney from all sides since its decision to take the late-night show off the air after threats from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr and a revolt of major station owners who objected to Kimmel’s comments about the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.

The Burbank giant and its chief executive, Bob Iger, found themselves in a no-win situation as they took heat from fans, free speech advocates, labor unions, elected officials, celebrities and countless podcasters and TV commentators, including some of ABC’s own.

The outspoken hosts of ABC’s talk show “The View” addressed the matter last Monday, with Whoopi Goldberg explaining that they'd kept silent until now to see whether Kimmel himself would comment. “Now, look, did y'all really think we weren't going to talk about Jimmy Kimmel?” Goldberg said. “I mean, have you watched this show over the last 29 seasons? So you know no one silences us.”

Co-host Ana Navarro said Kirk’s shooting death was “being used to silence people and cancel people.”