FCC chair says US government pressure played no role in Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

September 22, 2025 4:46 PM EDT Updated 35 mins ago


WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Government pressure played no role in the suspension of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said on Monday - despite having suggested the ABC host be suspended over remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. "Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that's happened at the federal government level," Carr said at a forum in New York.

A growing number of lawmakers had sharply criticized Carr's comments when he urged Disney (DIS.N) and ABC affiliates to take action, saying: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." On Monday, Disney said the show will return to the air on Tuesday after having conversations with Kimmel. The company said last week it had decided to suspend the show "to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country."

ABC suspended Kimmel's late-night talk show on Wednesday after Carr warned that local broadcasters who aired Kimmel could face fines or loss of licenses and said "it's time for them to step up." The owners of dozens of local TV stations affiliated with ABC said last week they would stop broadcasting the show, including Nexstar (NXST.O), which needs FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna (TGNA.N).

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez rejected Carr's suggestion. "This wasn't simply a 'business decision,'" Gomez said Monday. "This regrettable chapter is a stain on the FCC. It was a concerning moment of direct government intervention into business decisions."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/fcc-chair-defends-comments-says-kimmel-not-suspended-because-government-action-2025-09-22/

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[Lovie777]

1. Yes it did...................

[Marie Marie]

33. I love the smell of backfire in the morning...

Keep on over reaching - I also love the look of losing followed by humiliation. Fuck Trump and Carr,. LOSERS!

[AZ8theist]

47. Pathological liars will pathological lie.

....just like the IMBECILE running the show....

[Midnight Writer]

2. Well, I'm glad he cleared that up.

[Bluetus]

11. Considering Kimmel is returning tomorrow,

this statement from Carr is effectively an admission that his pressure backfired and that the people are vehemently against this kind of fascist censorship. Hell, even Ted Cruz and Rand Paul were with us on this point.

Some fancy back-pedaling.

[Skittles]

15. YES

and HOPEFULLY they'll think twice before doing it again

imagine the bind this puts that fascist fuck Trump in

[Bluetus]

18. Trump don't care

In his happy little world of dementia, everything is as he believes it to be. Kimmel is off the air And even if he is on the air, he is not funny and nobody watches. Just like nobody watches South Park.

[rubbersole]

32. His handlers and Adderall crunchers probably won't even tell him Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air.

[Bluetus]

35. Do you think Fox will mention it?

[rubbersole]

38. They'll have to say something. Slanted, but something.

When faux news paid Dominion Voting Systems $787,000,000,000 in the largest settlement in history, faux spent 1 minute saying they had finally settled the suit. Never mentioned the amount or how embarrassing and corrupt it was. It never caused Ol' Rupert to miss a meal.

[Bluetus]

43. Only if Trump is stupid enough to keep fighting this losing battle

And I would never bet against Trump's degree of stupidity. He is continuously his worst enemy.

[Miguelito Loveless]

58. Only two Republicans objected.

This is the world we live in, where all but two Republicans are advocates of our dictator.

[LookoutMtnWriter]

3. Liar

He lies well. I have no doubt he has been talking to Trump before every move. Trump himself provides information on who's next.

[pfitz59]

4. Impeach the bastard!

lying shit for brains

[MLWR]

26. It would be a good idea, except

you couldn't find 3 "R" senators, much less 19, who have the guts, the spine or the cojones to vote to convict and remove.

[Deuxcents]

5. It's insulting, actually, because they think we're gonna buy it and that'll put an end to it.

[twodogsbarking]

6. Do you swear to tell the truth or what Trump says the truth is?

We already know that answer.

[Zenlitened]

7. Translation: "Fuck you, whaddaya gonna do about it, loser?"

They know they’re lying. They know we know they’re lying. For fascists, authoritarians, whatever you want to call them, this is just another way to flex their power.

Compare with his statement just last week and point out the contradiction? Ha. They love it. Hypocrisy just another flex. They love this shit.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Carr told the right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson. "These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."

Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group – two huge corporations that own many local television stations including dozens of ABC affiliates – weighed in within hours to announce they would pull Kimmel's show indefinitely. Then, so did ABC. Nexstar, Sinclair and ABC's corporate owner, the Walt Disney Co., all have major deals pending that require approval by either the FCC or federal antitrust regulators.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5546764/fcc-brendan-carr-kimmel-trump-free-speech

[dlk]

8. Threatening to pull ABC's broadcasting license wasn't a threat?

Seriously?

[Bengus81]

50. We can do it the easy way OR the hard way......But sure,no Guberment involvement

[bluestarone]

9. LIES, LIES, LIES!!

The whole right wing ASSHOLES!!

[Paladin]

10. No reason whatsoever to believe this. (nt)

[LyfeTimeDem]

12. I literally laughed out loud reading that headline

Looks like the threat of a lawsuit caused a glitch in the matrix

[Skittles]

14. right?

OMG, the scrambling to save face is hilarious

[Skittles]

13. SURE, BRO

[wolfie001]

16. tRUMP's Minister of Propaganda Carr

Following the lies of his marmalade & lard cult leader.

[TexasBushwhacker]

17. Says who motherfucker? N/t

[JoseBalow]

19. So, now we "do it the hard way?"

[mdbl]

20. Nexstar and Sinclair are already monopolies. They don't need this merger. It will be horrific for this country

The Kimmel debacle proves how bad it is already.

[moniss]

21. Fascist and a liar. nt

[BattleRow]

22. Ultimate Spinoccio

[BidenRocks]

23. I DEMAND this administration to explain exactly what

TRUST and INTEGRITY are.

I trust NOTHING they say!
I trust NOTHING they promise!

I no longer have trust in the integrity and fidelity of the united (?) states!

Keep talking shit!

We know you will!

[republianmushroom]

24. FCC chair, LIAR.

[MLWR]

25. Guess what, Mr. Carr

No one with 2 or more brain cells believes you.

[Grins]

27. "And I am Tsar of all the Russia's!"

What a hose-bag.

[Otterdaemmerung]

28. "Well, that's all right, then!"

-- The Toymaker, 'Doctor Who'

[SWBTATTReg]

29. BS

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Because some people have sensitive feelings and get hurt oh so easily, It's funny how fast that they can turn on a dime against Kimmel but in other areas where you have cretins like tRUMP and others who oh so easily get their feelings hurt.

[kimbutgar]

30. I call bs on his statement!

He and the orange turd tried to use mafia techniques on ABC!

[vapor2]

31. Bull crap

[Sailingdiver]

34. Sure. The funny hued individual

Didn't force himself on children either

[Wiz Imp]

36. Who is he trying to gaslight?

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/brendan-carr-abc-fcc-jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-1236522406/

FCC Chairman Threatens ABC Over Jimmy Kimmel’s Remarks About Charlie Kirk’s Killer

FCC chairman Brendan Carr has threatened to take action against ABC after Jimmy Kimmel said in a monologue that “the MAGA gang” was attempting to portray Charlie Kirk‘s assassin as “anything other than one of them.”

Appearing on Benny Johnson’s podcast on Wednesday, Carr suggested that the FCC has “remedies we can look at.”

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

A few hours after Carr’s remarks, ABC announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will be preempted indefinitely, shortly after Nexstar, which operates 32 ABC affiliates, said it would not broadcast the show for the “foreseeable future.”

Threats don't get any more brazen than that. Hell, even Republicans Ted Cruz and Rand Paul said he was acting like a mafia boss.

[Baitball Blogger]

37. Too bad for him that he made the unwise move of sending that reporter a clip

of the Office where the characters were celebrating. Because he surely made it look like he was celebrating.

[JoseBalow]

39. That made me laugh out loud

[Talitha]

40. This guy lives in a fantasy world.

Hey Carr, tell the Easter Bunny I said hi.

[Diraven]

41. This would be a lot more believable

If he wouldn't have been recorded bragging about it on a podcast.

[BidenRocks]

42. He literally wrote the book on this.

He had the FCC section of Project 2025.

Liar sez whut?

[LudwigPastorius]

44. "FCC chair says US government pressure played no role in Jimmy Kimmel's suspension"

[onenote]

45. So if it was just because of the ratings, why is the show being brought back?

Did it's ratings improve when it wasn't on?

If Carr is going to lie, he needs to try out some new material.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

46. Carr is a lying sack of shit

You're already recorded pressuring them. Man up and own it.

[OrwellwasRight]

48. In other words, on the off chance there is ever

A consequence to face for my unethical behavior, I want to start building a defense now.

[Javaman]

49. yeah, cool story bro.

[Omnipresent]

51. The orange anus is almost guaranteed to be watching the show tonight to see if Jimmy is in anyway repentant.

What he will see, is Jimmy roasting the living hell out of him!

[KS Toronado]

53. I'm hoping for the same thing !

[KS Toronado]

52. So tsf has Brendan Carr using the word "ratings" like it's something evil.

How many republicans are using the term "ratings" in their speeches?

My neighbor is one of them, had one hell of a discussion over that yesterday.

[samnsara]

54. EFF him...a known liar and trump humper is telling US

..what to believe? EFF HIM. We the people do NOT listen to the likes of him. We KNOW it worked. WE WERE THERE! We saw!


#SinclairOutOfSeattle

[MissMillie]

55. "We're not done yet."

What was that supposed to mean?

[ProudMNDemocrat]

56. BELIEVE that, and I am the Virgin Mary....

TACO Don has his fingers in EVERYTHING!

Just like he had NO knowledge of the 2016 meeting with Jr. and the Russians at Trump Tower in NYC that was said to be about "Adopting Russian children." The actual intent was getting dirt on Hillary Clinton. .

[travelingthrulife]

57. Brendan Carr is a liar who co-authored the Project 2025 nightmare we are now living under.