The Show Must Go On!

When Jimmy Kimmel walked back into the spotlight after ABC cancelled his show, his audience was happy to see him back on the main stage. While the excitement was contagious, it did not mask the tension our country was facing over the dwindling freedom of speech in the US. Kimmel may have been the main point of focus, but this conversation of freedom of speech applies to all of us, whether we realize it or not.

Jimmy Kimmel gave an emotional monologue to his audience during his live show on September 23, 2025. (Source: newslist.com)

Kimmel’s suspension from ABC came after his commentary about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s murder during his show, saying, “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.” 

As a result of this particular comment, ABC pulled his show off the air. However, after Kimmel and ABC representatives talked, it was reported that Kimmel’s late-night show would return the following Tuesday night. While Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Nextstar may have chosen not to air Kimmel’s show, his monologue from that night has over 20 million views on his YouTube channel. 

Brendan Carr’s Past Tweet

You know how they tell you to watch what you post, because it may come back to bite you later on? This is definitely the case for Brendan Carr, who currently serves as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). During an episode with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, Carr argued that “these companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel. Or, you know, there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” 

However, on May 2, 2022, Carr tweeted, “Political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech. It challenges those in power while using humor to draw more people into the discussion. That is why people in influential positions have always targeted censorship.”

Brendan Carr’s 2022 tweet about freedom of speech is a direct counter to his current viewpoint in light of Kimmel’s return to television. (Source: @BrendanCarrFCC on X)

When I saw this tweet, I was confused. The main thing I want to know is why there was a change of heart when it came to freedom of speech three years later. If Carr argued that political satire “challenges those in power … to draw more people in the discussion,” then why was he encouraging the powers that be to take action against Kimmel’s show? While Carr’s view on speech has changed since this tweet, it does make me wonder how much political bias might have influenced his decisions about free expression. 

My Take on Kimmel’s Monologue 

Even in the midst of all the drama surrounding him and President Donald Trump, Kimmel continued to deliver a stellar monologue. During his monologue, he began by thanking the people who supported him during this hard time. In addition, he even thanked well-known conservatives such as Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens even though they may not like the jokes that he says on his show. Who knew that it would take a late-night host for Democrats, Republicans and Independents to come together and speak out against the Trump Administration’s attack on freedom of speech? Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going. 

During his monologue, he also addressed the elephant in the room: he admitted that he never wanted to make a joke out of Charlie Kirk’s murder or to blame one specific side for his death. By being honest about the situation that led to his suspension, Kimmel turned what could have been a low point for him into a clear moment of doing the right thing. Whether people want to argue that he should have done more or less, I say that he did just enough without compromising who he is. What people think of him afterwards is their own business, and not on him.

Trump Threatening ABC (again!)

On September 23, 2025, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he is “testing” ABC and said, “Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad ratings.” 

The fact that the sitting President of the United States is threatening ABC again is very telling. It seems to me that Trump does not like the opinions that are said about him and is threatening the channels or the journalists/comedians personally to silence them.

However, this is only going to cause people to become more vocal and take more action. In Kimmel’s case, thousands of people and celebrities have canceled their Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN subscriptions “indefinitely.” 

When people find a common cause, they will stop at nothing until their message is sent to those who need to hear it. 

Screenshot of Misha Collins’ tweet saying that he is canceling his Disney+ subscription indefinitely. (Source: @Misha Collins on X)

At the end of the day, it is comedy, and that is how these late-night hosts are making their money. If the President does not like them, then he can simply not consume that facet of media. These comedians are still going to survive even without the support of the President. 

If comedians are under attack in this current society, then imagine how easy it will be for this current Administration to come after every person. How long will it be before our right to freedom of speech is taken from us within the blink of an eye? Overall, it is important for us to embrace this privilege of free speech now, even for ideas we disagree with. 

Acknowledgment: The ideas expressed in this article are those of the individual author.