On September 17, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended indefinitely after the Oscar host delivered a monologue addressing Charlie Kirk’s death. Kimmel’s comments were simply an opinion, didn’t condone or appear to condone violence, and were typical of late-night monologues discussing current events.
Kimmel is only one of the public-facing figures dealing with backlash after expressing their thoughts on Charlie Kirk. Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said she was fired over her response and dozens of workers across the country have also lost their jobs or been chastised for reacting publicly to Kirk’s death in ways MAGA folks disagree with, per The Guardian.
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension follows the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Experts on authoritarian regimes, historians, and even the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have sounded the alarm on how these late-night TV firings amount to censorship of free speech.
According to CNN, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC’s licenses after Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue. For context, Disney is currently in talks to merge with Fubo, and it serves them to keep the FCC happy.
Late-night shows in particular have been a thorn in Trump’s side. They provide witty commentary on a variety of news items, including detailed criticism of the Trump administration and family. After Kimmel got booted from the airways, Trump said he wants to revoke the licenses of networks that oppose his views.
Kimmel’s suspension is censorship. Here’s the definition in case you’re wondering: government actions that silence and/or suppress dissent, opposition, expressions, ideas, depictions, or words. In the U.S., censorship is a violation of the First Amendment.
The current administration has already censored dissenters in other industries and walks of life. Earlier in Trump’s presidency, scientists were provided with a list of prohibited words, a move they saw as infringing on their rights and work to have a positive effect on marginalized groups. Trump has also vowed to change the Smithsonian Museum’s exhibits because of their critical examinations of U.S. history, including their depictions of the horrors of slavery. Trump notably took over the Kennedy Center earlier this year, which is no coincidence considering that the theater world also largely disagrees with Trump.
Per NPR, Trump began requesting foreigners’ passwords for their electronic devices during his first term. However, Trump’s second term features more aggressive action, rhetoric, and reaction to criticism from immigrants and international travelers. The Trump administration has also announced its intentions to screen social media accounts for any anti-Israel or anti-US sentiments during immigration status or visa applications. Finally, comedian Amber Ruffin wasn’t allowed to perform at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner due to her comments on this administration.
Now Trump has been emboldened to censor and monitor even larger cultural figures. Earlier this week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened to “go after” Americans who allegedly use hate speech. She had to walk these comments back after public outcry.
Of note, Jimmy Kimmel Live! hasn’t expressly been cancelled. An indefinite suspension means that there are hopes of reinstatement, but the damage has been done.
For Latine viewers, comedians, and communities, Kimmel’s abrupt disruption especially hurts. Jimmy Kimmel’s sidekick, comedian Guillermo Rodríguez was a constant presence and mouthpiece for Latines across the country. Kimmel’s most memorable guest host this year was Diego Luna, who used the opportunity to address the Trump administration’s harm to immigrant communities, along with interviews featuring a lot of Latine talent.
Not all is lost, but the view from here is pretty dark. Fellow late-night hosts have sided with Jimmy Kimmel. Marvel star Tatiana Maslany has encouraged her fans to unsubscribe from Disney and its entities.
Small but vocal protests took place in front of Disney headquarters on Thursday, September 18 as well. Comedians, actors, and former guests such as Kerry Washington, Atsuko Okatsuka, Wanda Sykes, and more have decried the show’s suspension. There’s even a MoveOn.org petition in support of the show.
Even conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz (yes, that one) have opposed the FCC’s threats to ABC over Kimmel’s comments.
So what can we do now? Black women, Indigenous groups, and progressive voices within a plethora of marginalized communities forewarned about Trump during the 2016 elections, and they often attempted to educate everyday people about what could happen during a second Trump term. Centering their voices, leadership, and contributing to organizing efforts is of utmost importance right now.
We must also know our rights, organize our communities, and speak up about injustices. There will be times when we should make sacrifices, including boycotts, protests, or mutual aid efforts that can help us all fight back.
As Latines, it’s also on us to deal with our divisions. Plenty of Latine voters are responsible for paving the road for these actions, and we must find ways to confront these truths while building alliances with like-minded folks. We must learn from history, and that includes learning from Latin American dictatorships so we can develop the pattern recognition necessary to meet this moment.
We’re facing the early stages of the authoritarian regimes so many of us, our families, and our ancestors fled. It’s time to listen and take action.
