Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno ( also seen in Jay Leno’s Garage and Last Man Standing) has joined the rising chorus of voices defending Jimmy Kimmel Live! presenter Jimmy Kimmel, who was suspended by ABC earlier this week. According to Deadline, Leno expressed his support when attending Chris Wallace’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, telling reporters, “I’m with Jimmy Kimmel on that one.” “I am a huge supporter of free speech.”
Kimmel was removed from the air after making statements about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s tragic shooting during his monologue, which generated outrage from the Trump administration and threats from FCC Chair Brendan Carr. ABC replied by removing the show from its schedule, as first reported by mxdwn Television. The network has since filled Kimmel’s time slot with Celebrity Family Feud reruns.
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner (known for producing BoJack Horseman and Torn) publicly chastised Disney executives for “bending the knee to MAGA.” In a statement to Deadline, Eisner queried, “Where has all the leadership gone?” claiming that Disney’s choice compromised the network’s creative freedom.
The suspension has sparked a wave of industry reaction. The Writers’ Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild issued statements supporting Kimmel, as previously reported by mxdwn. Damon Lindelof, creator of Lost, even vowed to withhold future work from ABC until the suspension is lifted, mxdwn reported.
Stephen Colbert used The Late Show to revive his iconic “The Word” segment, saying, “Tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel.” Jimmy Fallon also addressed the controversy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, expressing hope Kimmel would soon return to ABC.
Protests have since taken place outside Disney’s Burbank headquarters, with social media campaigns trending under #StandWithKimmel. Negotiations are reportedly underway to bring Kimmel back to the air, though no official timeline has been announced.