Inflammatory speech against MAGA and much concern from advertisers: how Jimmy Kimmel's abrupt suspension came about

Away from a federal and regulatory push by the FCC, the suspension of the show Jimmy Kimmel Live! was the denouement of an executive escalation that unfolded in less than 48 hours and had multiple causes: a planned incendiary monologue against the MAGA movement, the threat of a potential commercial fiasco by ABC-affiliated broadcasters and the real risk to the safety of Disney staff.

According to inside sources consulted by The Wall Street Journal and The Hollywood Reporter, the real story, unrelated to the federal government, shows a chain of urgent events where market pressure beat Kimmel by a wide margin.

The conflict began with Monday's monologue: Kimmel lashed out at President Donald Trump, his administration and MAGA commentators for, as he put it, attempting to disassociate himself from Tyler Robinson, perpetrator of the Charlie Kirk murder. The host's comments and jokes drew a harsh reaction from Brendan Carr, chairman of the FCC, who said during a podcast appearance Wednesday that the agency could take action against the broadcast licenses of ABC-owned stations.

According to show employees, the host was willing to publicly defend that approach on Wednesday's show in the wake of Carr's comments, rather than qualify them or apologize - a stance his staff defined as "not bowing to outrage."

According to sources inside the show, part of Kimmel's point was that his words were being intentionally twisted by some members of the MAGA movement to generate controversy.

That promise of war, which reached the ears of Disney's top management, was the trigger that set off a series of events that generated the show's suspension.

In the first instance, came the commercial siege. Owners of ABC-affiliated stations and conglomerates - among them Nexstar and Sinclair - warned Disney that they would cancel the program in large parts of the country if it aired under the terms proposed by Kimmel, a move that would have immediately cut off the show's reach and advertising revenues due to threats from advertisers, concerned about the public's reaction and also the FCC. Faced with the possibility of losing key markets and facing various claims, Bob Iger, CEO of Disney; and Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, addressed the situation.

According to the WSJ, Walden spoke with Kimmel and she, along with other executives, concluded that the host's approach would undoubtedly make the situation worse.

With affiliates cutting the signal and advertisers relocating their media buys, it was decided to suspend the show as an immediate containment measure. Iger met with Walden and senior management before announcing the decision to the host.

In parallel to the tense business situation, security problems were added, with network and program staff receiving threats and cases of doxxing. In other words, beyond Commissioner Carr's public comments against Kimmel and Disney/ABC, which also had their impact on advertisers and allied networks, the host's show was doomed by the strength of the market and the genuine concern of its directors, who chose not to risk redoubling the bet.