THUNDER BAY – INTERNATIONAL – Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to ABC last night after a six-day suspension sparked by the host’s comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Disney’s reinstatement puts the late-night show back on the network schedule—but a large slice of U.S. viewers still won’t see it on local TV. Two of the biggest station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair, say their ABC affiliates will continue to pre-empt Kimmel and run alternate programming for now.
During the suspension of the show, on Google, the issue took the lead of topping the search engine’s search list.
Search interest around Disney spiked this week for terms like “cancel Disney+,” “boycott Disney,” and “Disney price increase,” driven by backlash over ABC’s brief suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and fresh hikes to Disney’s streaming plans.
Google Trends data cited “cancel Disney+” hit a 12-month high, while related boycott queries surged alongside coverage of the controversy. Meanwhile, news of Disney+ and bundle price increases effective Oct. 21, 2025 kept “Disney price,” “Disney+ cost,” and “bundle with ESPN/Hulu” climbing the charts.
For Hulu (often paired with Disney in searches), trending queries mirrored the pattern: “cancel Hulu,” “Hulu price increase,” and “Disney+ Hulu bundle” all jumped as reports confirmed higher rates across standalone and bundled plans. Some consumer how-to searches also trended, including “how to cancel Hulu/Disney+,” and navigation questions about finding Hulu content inside Disney+, reflecting confusion during the phased integration.
Kimmel opened his first show back with an emotional monologue, insisting it was never his intent to make light of Kirk’s murder and framing the flap as a free-speech issue.
The suspension, announced Sept. 17, followed days of political blowback and warnings from FCC leadership that raised alarms among civil liberties advocates.
At the centre of the storm: whether government pressure—explicit or implied—should influence broadcast decisions. Coverage in major outlets documents public comments by FCC Chair Brendan Carr criticizing Kimmel’s remarks and suggesting potential regulatory consequences, drawing rebukes from lawmakers and free-expression groups.
Why this matters beyond Hollywood—especially for Canadian newsrooms
For audiences in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, this saga is a window into how U.S. political pressure can shape corporate media decisions. While Canadians mainly watch Kimmel via cable/satellite or streaming, the outcome could influence how platforms and broadcasters balance satire, politics, and standards—and whether controversial speech is handled by programming decisions or regulatory threats.
Disney’s corporate stance, affiliate autonomy, and Washington’s posture toward broadcasters are all in the mix.
The quick timeline
-
Sept. 17: ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel Live! after affiliates balk at airing the show, amid political uproar over Kimmel’s comments on Kirk’s killing.
-
Sept. 23–24: Disney restores the show; Kimmel returns on air, defending satire and free speech.
-
Ongoing: Nexstar and Sinclair keep the program off dozens of local ABC stations despite Disney’s move, citing standards and community concerns. Viewers can still find episodes on Disney’s streaming platforms.
The bigger backdrop: the Kirk case
U.S. outlets continue covering developments in the investigation and political fallout following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, keeping this story at the centre of America’s culture-and-politics crossfire.
