{"id":73536,"date":"2025-09-19T14:32:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T14:32:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/73536\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T14:32:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T14:32:06","slug":"does-jimmy-kimmels-removal-over-charlie-kirk-violate-freedom-of-speech-arts-and-culture-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/73536\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s removal over Charlie Kirk violate freedom of speech? | Arts and Culture News"},"content":{"rendered":"

United States television host Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s live show was pulled off the air<\/a> by Disney-owned ABC after he made comments about conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week in what has been deemed by right-wingers in the US a political assassination.<\/p>\n

But critics claim Kimmel\u2019s removal<\/a> is a violation of his free speech rights<\/a>, which are enshrined under the US Constitution\u2019s First Amendment.<\/p>\n

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On Thursday, hundreds of Kimmel fans gathered on the streets in Burbank, New York and Hollywood, protesting the removal of his show.<\/p>\n

Here is a closer look at what happened and what the US Constitution says about free speech rights.<\/p>\n

What happened to Jimmy Kimmel?<\/p>\n

Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk<\/a> was shot and killed in front of a crowd of about 3,000 people on September 10 while he was speaking at a university event in Utah.<\/p>\n

After a 33-hour manhunt, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson<\/a> was arrested on suspicion of killing Kirk. Robinson has since been charged with aggravated murder.<\/p>\n

Some right-wing figures, affiliated with US President Donald Trump\u2019s MAGA (Make America Great Again) wing, have described Robinson as \u201cleft-wing\u201d.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Kimmel said<\/a> on his show: \u201cThe MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kimmel continued, criticising the response by Trump \u2013 who described Kirk as being \u201clike a son\u201d \u2013 to his death. \u201cThis is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,\u201d Kimmel said.<\/p>\n

Following a backlash, broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair said they would pull Kimmel\u2019s late-night show from their affiliated stations.<\/p>\n

Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), also said he had a strong case for taking legal action against Kimmel, Disney and ABC.<\/p>\n

Anna Gomez, the only Democrat on the FCC, criticised Carr\u2019s response in an interview with CNN. \u201cThis administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression,\u201d Gomez said.<\/p>\n

The FCC has the authority to grant licences to broadcasters, including ABC and its affiliated stations.<\/p>\n

Democratic critics have said that pulling his show off the air is an infringement of Kimmel\u2019s right to free speech, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.<\/p>\n

What does the First Amendment say?<\/p>\n

The First Amendment protects free speech from government interference. It states: \u201cCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1963, the US Supreme Court issued a key ruling that the government cannot create a \u201csystem of informal censorship\u201d by putting pressure on private companies.<\/p>\n

This was issued after a Rhode Island agency had threatened to prosecute book and magazine distributors for selling publications it considered objectionable.<\/p>\n

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that, in such situations, plaintiffs must demonstrate that the government\u2019s actions exceeded allowable persuasion and directly caused them harm.<\/p>\n

Was the removal of Kimmel\u2019s show unconstitutional?<\/p>\n

Experts say Kimmel\u2019s show being pulled is unconstitutional since it infringes the free speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.<\/p>\n

Ronnie London, a general counsel with free speech advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told PolitiFact that Carr\u2019s actions are \u201ca classic case of unconstitutional jawboning\u201d, which means improperly using government threats to pursue policy goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FCC has long held that \u2018the public interest is best served by permitting free expression of views,\u2019\u201d the FCC says on its website.<\/p>\n

\u201cRather than suppress speech, communications law and policy seek to encourage responsive \u2018counter-speech\u2019 from others. Following this principle ensures that the most diverse and opposing opinions will be expressed, even though some views or expressions may be highly offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

How have people reacted to Kimmel\u2019s removal?<\/p>\n

Many Democrats, politicians, Hollywood stars and fellow talk-show hosts have stressed the importance of protecting free speech rights.<\/p>\n

Former US President Barack Obama shared a series of articles and commentary on X on Friday, saying: \u201cThis commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended, whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

This commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended, whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In another post, Obama wrote: \u201cThis is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent \u2013 and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former late-night host David Letterman said during an event in New York on Thursday: \u201cI feel bad about this, because we all see where this is going, correct? It\u2019s managed media. It\u2019s no good. It\u2019s silly. It\u2019s ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement: \u201cThe state under Donald Trump has amassed a chilling record of restricting speech, extorting private companies, and dropping the full weight of the government censorship hammer on First Amendment rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Democratic California Senator Adam Schiff posted on X on Thursday: \u201cThis administration is responsible for the most blatant attacks on the free press in American history. What will be left of the First Amendment?\u201d<\/p>\n

By contrast, the suspension of Kimmel\u2019s show has drawn celebration from the political right.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,\u201d Trump wrote<\/a> on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that\u2019s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC,\u201d Trump continued, referring to late-night show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.<\/p>\n

Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly wrote on X on Thursday: \u201cI\u2019m not sure who needs to hear this but Jimmy Kimmel got on the air and falsely stated as a fact that Charlie Kirk\u2019s killer was MAGA, smearing an entire movement and Trump in particular with a vile disgusting lie.\u201d<\/p>\n