Jimmy Kimmel Asked to Apologize and Pay Charlie Kirk's Family if He Wants Suspension Lifted by Nation's Largest ABC Affiliate

In the wake of Kirk's murder, Kimmel took to social media to offer condolences to Kirk's family.

"Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?" he wrote at the time. "On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence."

It's the BLACKMAIL show! New, FUN reality TV! American public life has become a Monty Python sketch. Except those being blackmailed say things in the open and the people hiding all sorts of depraved immorality are the blackmailers!

They are out for blood. 1.000 dollar bet they will do to Kimmel what Trump did to Mitt. Make him beg, then still turn him down.

FUCK THESE FUCKING FASCISTS!!!!!!

Only eight months in, and I've fucking had it with Trump, Vance, Miller, and all the other NAZIS.

The people need to rise up and take back our government from this authoritarian regime.

If we don't do it now, then they will crack down on our freedom even more, in the coming years.

Once we pass that point of no return, then we're finished.

I don’t remember who, but there was a GOP politician who spoke about gun rights and the murders that are caused (I believe it was after the last school shooting). In his message, he said that with the right to bear arms, there are going to be deaths/murders that are going to happen. So, basically, if there are murders, this is just the cost of have the right to bear arms. But, maybe not in this case....

Also, when there is a joke about someone who is gay, etc, it is freedom of speech and basically, we are being too sensitive. So, it probably just goes for the GOP side only??

I have mixed feelings about the apology. Do I think he should, absolutely not (and he doesn’t need a paycheck to survive) but if he did, he would be able to apologize on his terms and still bring light to all the BULLSHIT out there.

God help us at 8 months in....

Anyone else more disturbed by this swift retribution and display of corporate power (clearly fueled by ties to Trump) than by Kirk’s assassination?

It WAS disturbing, don’t get me wrong.

I just feel like this power move has broader and further reaching implications for all of us than the killing of one podcaster.

Okay, go ahead, pile on and tell me how fucked up I am.

I will miss his show if he never comes back, but I pray he will tell them to "GO FUCK YOURSELVES".

What a fucking joke.

I actually do think he should bend the knee. Just because I would love to see how he finds new and interesting ways to get under Trump's skin, but in ways that are more subversive and coded.

[quote] I don’t remember who, but there was a GOP politician who spoke about gun rights and the murders that are caused .... he said that with the right to bear arms, there are going to be deaths/murders that are going to happen. So, basically, if there are murders, this is just the cost of have the right to bear arms.

That was Charlie Kirk himself!

[quote] I would love to see how he finds new and interesting ways to get under Trump's skin

He should donate to the Human Rights Campaign, Black Lives Matter, the ACLU, Pro-Choice, and LGBT non-profits all in the name of ERIKA AND CHARLIE KIRK.

That would be fucking awesome.

I'm waiting patiently to hear someone that is being extorted to say, out loud and in public, "Fuck You."

Though I'm not holding my breath.

He might be the one to do that r11. Usually it's some executive, with a corporate board, surrounded by PR types, who is never going to say shit about shit. Jimmy Kimmel as an individual might actually have the ability to say that.

Trump and his minions are just taking advantage of the opportunity handed them.

If not this, they would have found something else to attack Jimmy Kimmel about.

After he got rid of Stephen Colbert in return for approving Skydance buying Paramount, Trump made it clear Jimmy Kimmel was his next target. He's just using Sinclair Broadcasting to do the dirty work he wants done.

Turning Point spreads so much hate, he shouldn't give them a dime

why should he pay Sinclair?

Fuck them. Please Jimmy don't cave.

Fuck off, Sinclair!!

Jimmy has an entire team of workers to think about. Probably doesn't want to leave them in a sudden lurch, but if he can figure out a way to smooth their transition (at least optically), I bet he'll walk.

his workers have contracts or applicable labour laws. If Jimmy is the producer, he has insurance. Who employs the workers?

He should make a donation in Kirk’s memory to a gun-control organization.

He might do an apology… maybe.

But the flat-out cash extortion? Forcing him to pay Turning Point USA in order to get his job back? They can dress that up in language about a “required meaningful donation” but that is literal extortion. Fuck that.

I really hope he does not do some sad and stupid apology.

Incidentally, I know people are focusing on his comments about MAGA using Kirk's death. But we all know what REALLY pissed off Trump and the Cult. It was joking about how Trump truly doesn't give a fuck about Kirk and immediately pivoted to blathering about his stupid ballroom at the earliest opportunity. And the only one who should apologize for that is Trump himself.

What exactly would he apologize for?

[quote]Jimmy has an entire team of workers to think about. Probably doesn't want to leave them in a sudden lurch, but if he can figure out a way to smooth their transition (at least optically), I bet he'll walk.

That's a good point. I had not considered that. His show likely employs 100 or more people. That's a big responsibility having all those people's livelihood depending on him.

I don't care if he has 1000 employees. That is not a good enough reason to submit to fascism and extortion. Sorry, that is some fucked up bullshit thinking. No, you do not humbly return to your show and promise never, ever to offend Trump and the cunts in the cult ever again. That would be the worst and stupidest possible outcome.

[quote] What exactly would he apologize for?

Jimmy Kimmel has NOTHING to apologize for.

The only ones who owe an apology to anyone, are Donald fucking Trump and Charlie Kirk, for being hateful fascist bigots.

Fuck both of them.

Oh, and fuck Jamie Lee Curtis and Kristen Chenoweth too, while we're at it. Two fucking cunts.

Apologize? Compensate?

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Sinclair wasn’t even the group that originally pulled the show—it was Nexstar. But I guess Sinclair figured they can make sure the show never comes back because there is no way Kimmel will ever be giving a dime to Turning Point. Nor should he. But this is exactly why we need to bring back the fairness doctrine and caps on media ownership.

Too humiliated to apologize. Accused killer of being MAGA. Backfired when killer turned out to be Left, enjoying gay life with boyfriend who was transitioning. Time for Jimmy to retire. Go back to his roots in Marine Park, Brooklyn.

[quote]But this is exactly why we need to bring back the fairness doctrine and caps on media ownership.

You can thank Ronald Reagan for the demise of the Fairness Doctrine.

Thank Bill Clinton for lifting the caps on media ownership via passage of Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Time for you to retire, whore at r28. Your skank ass is even less needed than your skanky opinions.

R28's friends on the right still insist that Trump was shot by "someone on the left" (he was a Republican gun nut)

Of the two I think the Telecommunications Act caused by far the greatest harm r29. The Fairness Doctrine did its bit, but really it was always going to be based around a very narrow set of "acceptable" opinions and what constituted a "fair" discussion of major issue. Once you start dicking around with ownership and conglomerates, well, that really fucks up "free" speech and a "free" press.

I'm confused. Why would Kimmel need to apologise to the Kirks when he mocked Trump's lack of reaction a day or so after Kirk's death?

If anything, the Kirks should be demanding Trump apologises to them for caring more about the construction of a pointless ballroom than about the murder of their loved one.

Common sense has abandoned the right.

I hope Kimmel sticks to his guns. I suspect he has enough money to never need another job. In his position I'd rather stand by my principles than apologise for something I wasn't sorry for.

Its very disturbing. People are treating it like its the assassination of a politician @R6

Worse, R34, the assassination of a pure and noble Hero Figure worthy of our utter veneration. Criticism = ultimate sacrilege.

If the last 7 days haven’t convinced somebody that MAGA is cultic… I don’t know what can.

What MAGA fails to realize is that people like Colbert and Kimmel will actually be more powerful voices without the baggage of their shows. And while I mourn the loss of late night TV, these men will not be silenced.

Fuck this

[quote]. People are treating it like its the assassination of a politician

They're trying to make Charlie Kirk's assassination the 2025 equivalent of Martin Luther King's assassination.

I doubt he'll grovel. He's had an amazingly successful run, he may be ready for a break and frankly change can do a body good.

There's so much going on in the streaming world that opportunities will pop up all around for both him and Colbert.

The old broadcast TV networks are past their prime anyway. The future is bright enough elsewhere to never, ever bow to this corrupt, disgusting administration.

And it appears that they are succeeding, r38.

Sounds like someone didn’t think out all of the ramifications of this stunt and is looking for an out. Tell them to kiss your ass, Jimmy.

And I’m not even ruling on the merits of what Kimmel said. The hubris of the corporate monolithic media should bite them in their whole ass. I wonder how many Disney+ and Hulu and ESPN subscriptions were cancelled?

Kimmel got Italian citizenship because he wanted an out in case Trump went after him. He should start a show from the EU to address authoritarianism here. Radio Free America.

It’s beyond wrong that ABC did this to Kimmel…. but/and also, late night mainstream TV is a slowly dying thing.

Kimmel had an estimated nightly average of only around 1.5 million viewers. Several decades ago, at his peak Johnny Carson averaged 20 million viewers a night.

Hopefully Kimmel can keep a decent fan base whatever he does next.

I agree that he should tell them to go fuck themselves. Then he should sue ABC, Nexstar, Sinclair, and the FCC chairman.

I wonder how David Muir will report on this tonight. He's no friend of Trump.

Even if Kimmel caves, they’ll still go after him. They’ll take the money and his humiliation. And then they’ll cancel it anyway.

[quote]I wonder how David Muir will report on this tonight. He's no friend of Trump.

NBC Nightly News reported on it last night, just moments after it was announced. Meanwhile, ABC World News did not say a word about it last night.

Since ABC is involved, its doubtful their news show will report on it Might be hitting too close to home. But maybe they will.

Canadian news is all over it, even in French. Senator Chris Murphy also getting lots of coverage.

Sadly another sign of fascism, when only foreign news can be trusted about your own nation.

BBC Radio was covering it heavily last night and this morning.

Apology and cash won’t change anything.

I think all these networks were already looking for ways to end the late night talk show format, it creates too many headaches when there is a conservative President in office.

conservative. heh, conservative. a conservative President. Oh, lordy, you just haven't a clue do you r53?

I wonder if Kimmel could sue Sinclair for extortion?

I haven't watched him in years but when I did, I thought he was funny. I hated colbert, thought he was SOOOO fucking boring and ugly clothing

The irony is he didn’t say anything bad about Kirk at all. He said it was MAGA trying to score political points—which it is

Wow, the grift is so out in the open

[quote] conservative. heh, conservative. a conservative President. Oh, lordy, you just haven't a clue do you [R53]?

Clue, I will take Jackass comments for $500 Alex. It has been a problem for neworks during the Reagan and Bush administrations too.

Nah, it really wasn't r59. You're a clueless fool and you do not get the $500. But we will jump to Final Jeopardy: He once insisted that a late night host be fired for daring to disagree with him and laughing at his nonsense while he was trying to canonize some dead pundit.

[quote] They're trying to make Charlie Kirk's assassination the 2025 equivalent of Martin Luther King's assassination.

Kirk's birthday is Oct 14, American workers would love a paid day off in October, I am retired and don't much care but Trump has already said there are too many paid days off in America but he flip flops like a grounded fish.

There are too many Americans who are sleepwalking and need to wake the fuck up.

R60 I suggest Suzette Hayden Elgin's

How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

It is an art worth learning.

I suggest you try to get a clue about what is happening in this country and not pretend that it isn't fascism.

TIA, r63.

I hope he refuses. He didn't say anything untrue.

I've read elsewhere that a GoFundMe has been set up for Kirk's family.... But his net worth was 12 million. And they're also extorting money from Kimmel?

I was going to say "grifters gotta grift" but that seems woefully inadequate.

Kimmel is not responsiblefor the people who put on his show losing their jobs — Trump & Co. are responsible for that, period. Trump wanted it done, and these other assholes sweated it out trying to find a way to do his bidding. Texstar pulling out because they want their merger with a rival approved by the government just means we’ll have an even bigger conservative monopoly on media than we had before. Luckily, this was all so craven it’s been extensively reported that veneration for Kirk was merely a blind for the real politique going on.

Kimmel has nothing to apologize for, whereas ABC, Disney, Texstar, Sinclair et al have plenty to apologize for —eyes on the prize here, there is an important free speech principle at stake, and the pushback to his layoff today has been formidable and will grow much bigger than the Kirk lionization that has been ginned up for the last week.

While it’s true Kimmel’s TV ratings are relativey low, I was surprised to discover he has 20.7 million followers on YouTube, which is obviously where most people follow his takedowns of the administration. Trump knows this better than anyone and that’s what pisses him off. Jimmy could set up a camera in his den, continue to pay his writers and still put up a scathing critique of Trump every day on YouTube. And I hope he does.

I canceled my subscription to Disney/Hulu today, and while I doubt more than a few thousand will do that, it made me feel better since this whole enraging situation was making me miserable. Combined with the disgusting spectacle of the British royal family as well as the movers and shakers of the business and technology worlds lining up to kiss Trump’s fat ass, this was a bad week. Sure, they were all doing it for show, flattering his fragile, childish ego while laughing at him behind their fans, but the point is, they are doing his bidding. His bullying is actually working. How does the world walk back from that?

And how do we punish him for destroying our democracy and the very concept of decency and integrity in political and business life?

Fascism.

Sinclair media is trying to control the whole country

Even if you say murder is wrong an asshole in life is still an asshole in death

Wow how sad for America

Land of the free and hone of the brave. Wake Americans! Rise up and take ypur coubtry back from this fascist loon

[quote]NBC Nightly News reported on it last night, just moments after it was announced.

And it was discussed again tonight.

And Jon Stewart will be on The Daily Show tonight even though he normally is on only on Mondays.

Extortion.

[quote] I canceled my subscription to Disney/Hulu today, and while I doubt more than a few thousand will do that

For some reason (I don't subscribe to any Disney products) today I kept getting Disney+ ads on my facebook feed, and I would check the comments. They were overwhelmingly "I stand with Jimmy" and determination to cancel subscriptions. So there might be a wave out there that will amount to more than a few thousand.

1. Use the democratic process to achieve power. once in power dismantle democratic institutions. Check. 2. Eliminate all opposition from within the party to assume sole mastery of the party. Check 3. Eliminate external opposition...It's happening right now by eliminating opposition from the media, the universities, law firms, and even the average individual.

We're living under a clearly authoritarian regime , and I will judge it fascist because it also exhibits the following:

4. An exclusive ideology (white, nativist, Christianist) targeting vulnerable minorities (trans, migrants, POC) that is akin to nationalism. 5. A compliant judiciary. 6. A secret police (ICE) that acts as a state within the state. 7. A concentration camp system (Alligator Alcatraz) 8. A compliant judiciary 9. A cult of personality around the leader.

Please let Kimmel have the balls to say no.

[quote] 2. Eliminate all opposition from within the party to assume sole mastery of the party. Check

T-Rump thought he'd done this, but fissures keep opening up now, first over the Epstein files, and now over canceling Kimmel. He has to gin up ever more harsh reprisals and more bizarre demands for fealty and "alignment." And he looks like death warmed over—the infighting will only get worse, and not all of will be a competition over loyalty to T-Rump.

Don't pay shit to those ingrates, Jimmy!

I also canceled Disney+ & Hulu today. Boycott momentum is growing. Must hit them where it hurts.

Everyone needs to stand up to these assholes a la Pritzker.

They can't mow us all down, can they?

I would love to see this make a massive dent in Disney’s coffers.

Stop visiting Disneyland while you’re canceling Hulu.

Who can afford Disneyland these days?

Don't bend the knee, Jimmy.

Stephen Colbert's response in musical form - perfect for DL

Colbert's on and he's going for the jugular!!!

[quote]I've read elsewhere that a GoFundMe has been set up for Kirk's family.... But his net worth was 12 million.

Man, I am so tempted to donate 1 dollar just so I can post a statement about his net wealth. Someone should do it.

That woman is such a grifter, she has reached out to GoFunMe to verify it's legit. She wants 250k.

[quote] That would be fucking awesome.

That WOULD be awesome!

Canceled my Hulu.

Maybe all these Peter Pan Disney gays will finally grow up and realize they are supporting Trump every time the post selfies from there on a monthly basis. Yes, I know grown men who go there almost on a monthly basis. And they don't even have any kids.

Disney's been playing both sides for a while now.

When Fantastic Four opened poorly this summer, Iger publicly blamed MAGA critics for encouraging people not to go see the movie and that Disney would continue to dedicate themselves to equality values.

But from the beginning of this admininstration, they've already settled a couple of Trump lawsuits with million dollar settlements to him on cases they most likely could have won in court.

Trumps neck looks like labia R85 !!

The question before us is where's the clitoris?

Where no man can find it, obviously!

If it gets people to watch his monologue that night, good. It's aaaallll about the Epstein files. Which all the rending of garments about Charlie "tiny face, big gums" Kirk of all fucking people is being used as a giant distraction.

When I do a search for a certain female gabfest programme I see a thread for the Whoopi Goldberg hen house chat show, but it won't open?

Has Datalounge self-censored and bent the knee to Trump already? I am following the news that Jimmy Kimmel's cancellation was completely ignored today during "Hot Topics" today even though it is the hottest topic this year! Thanks ladies! You are all so brave. Yawn.

The alphabet network and the mouse house are eager to obey our fearless leader in advance, I see. Sickening! I have been in DL jail seven or eight times in the last year, I just got out from my latest suspension two days ago. I assume this comment will get me banned again. We are in deep shit people.

[quote]I am following the news that Jimmy Kimmel's cancellation was completely ignored today during "Hot Topics" today even though it is the hottest topic this year! Thanks ladies! You are all so brave. Yawn.

The View typically records its Friday episode on Thursday morning, immediately after the Thursday show airs live. That way cast and crew get a three-day weekend.

Pure speculation here, but on Thursday morning, it was just 18 hours after news came out that ABC was suspending Jimmy Kimmel. At that point, it may not have been clear how much ABC would let them say on the subject and how much ABC would censor them.

It's funny how so many MAGA are posting about canceling the View on sites like YouTube. I never watch it because it bores me how careful they are and yet screeching at the same time. Odd MAGA is so obsessed with canceling them.

Isn’t this standard practice when people are offended by what is said, that the person has to publicly apologize and then attend sensitivity training?

Huh? For telling the truth?

State-controlled media with severe restrictions on freedom of expression:

North Korea

China

Russia

Hungary

🇺🇸

ASKED to apologize? COERCED is more like it.

How can networks keep cancelling their shows? What’s gonna air in place of Jimmy’s show? Late Night With Scott Baio?

They'll just show reruns of The Honeymooners.

Hey -- I'd watch it. They never get old.

When was the last time Scott Baio had a job? Maybe he'll do it for minimum wage.

Even on the bizarre theory that he said something offensive, it was an attack on MAGA, not on Kirk or his family. Why would he apologize to his family?

We're very excited to announce the late night replacement show on ABC: The Gloria Gaynor/Village People Variety Hour. This week's special guests: Sylvester Stallone and Kid Rock

If you liked Sonny and Cher, you'll love Lara and the Kid, the Lara Trump/Kid Rock variety show

Dear Erika, I'm sorry if I appeared insensitive to your fucktard of a husband. You have my sincere condolences over the very concerning threat his absence poses to your cashflows. Can I have my show back?

I can't believe no one's said it yet....

JIMMMMMMAAAAAAAYYYYŸ!!!!!!!

Perhaps because doing so would have been stupid and irrelevant.

Unclench, r110.

Sinclair is still trying to extort Kimmel

Dude, you're a multi-millionaire... just walk away with your pride. You have a face for radio; do that.

He should instruct Sinclair to open wide and take it all.

R113: Bill Simmons (who is obviously on Jimmy's side, having worked on the first 18 months of the Jimmy Kimmel show) said something similar a few days ago (not about his face). Does Jimmy even really *need* the ABC late-night show anymore?? (beyond wanting to keep everyone on staff employed). He's been around for 20 years & could easily do a Howard Stern -- move to another platform where he is not regulated by the FCC & say whatever the hell he wants.

Sinclair needs the Disney treatment.

Talk about not reading the room. These knee bending rim jobers better realize Dump is not going to be in office after his term is up. Maybe less given his health issues. But a lost customer can be forever.

Jimmy? Jimmy?

Fascism

Fuck Sinclair. Fuck Kirk. Fuck his fascist agency. Fuck MAGA. Fuck SCOTUS. Fuck the oligarchy sealing our fate. Fuck everyone and everything corrupting America and erasing the Constitution except for the distorted Second fucking Amendment.

[quote]Sinclair needs the Disney treatment.

And ABC needs to yank NFL and college football from Sinclair and Nexstar to send them a clear message.

Sinclair Asked to Eat a Giant Bag of Dicks and to Apologize for its Existence.

[quote]The media company Sinclair wants Kimmel to apologize to Kirk's family and make a "meaningful personal donation" to them and Kirk's nonprofit Turning Point USA.