The union representing the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live! criticized ABC for taking the show off the air after the comedian’s viral remarks about the shooting of Charlie Kirk.
The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other — to disturb, even — is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice. As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to — painful as it may be at times — is the freeing agreement to disagree. Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world. The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers.
said the Writers Guild of America West and East on Wednesday night, shortly after Disney-owned ABC announced it was pulling the show “indefinitely.” then The union also said
The performers’ union SAG-AFTRA also responded to the suspension.
Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on. Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms. SAG-AFTRA stands with all media artists and defends their right to express their diverse points of view, and everyone’s right to hear them.
the union said
ABC’s move followed an earlier step that day when major local TV station owner Nexstar pulled the late-night show after Kimmel’s comments on Tuesday.
Nexstar broadcasting division president Andrew Alford called Kimmel’s remarks “offensive and insensitive,” saying giving Kimmel a platform was “not in the public interest at the current time.”
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In the comments that caused the uproar, Kimmel talked about the shooting of Kirk, a right-wing activist, at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
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.
Kimmel said
Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr strongly criticized Kimmel’s remarks in a Wednesday interview with a YouTuber. He raised the idea that some ABC affiliates could lose their licenses and urged those stations to “push back” and tell the network.
Listen, we’re not going to run Kimmel anymore until you straighten this out because we’re running the possibility of license revocation from the FCC if we continue to run content that ends up being a pattern of news distortion.
A source told THR that Kimmel had planned to talk about the backlash on his Wednesday show, but he was not going to apologize.
Source: Hollywood Reporter