Bob Iger and Disney are no strangers to public relations challenges – it’s part of running a globally recognized brand. However, the recent situation involving Jimmy Kimmel is different and more serious than a typical PR issue. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and a strong supporter of Donald Trump, suggested that Disney’s ABC network could face consequences if it didn’t address certain comments Kimmel made on his show. Shortly after, ABC announced Kimmel’s show was suspended indefinitely, putting his job in jeopardy and potentially damaging Iger’s reputation as CEO.
Here’s how the situation unfolded: Jimmy Kimmel made a brief, somewhat clumsy remark during his Monday night monologue. Fox News shared a clip of it on Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, Benny Johnson – a supporter of the Trump administration – released a podcast claiming Kimmel lied and blamed Charlie Kirk for a murder, demanding Disney fire him. David Carr was a guest on the podcast and suggested ABC could resolve the issue easily or face consequences. Then, as we saw last night, Nexstar and Sinclair both announced they would stop airing Kimmel’s show, and ABC quickly released a statement saying Jimmy Kimmel Live would be indefinitely suspended.
The situation is still developing, and it’s too early to understand the full implications. As of Thursday afternoon, Jimmy Kimmel’s show hadn’t been canceled, and he remains employed by Disney, even though Donald Trump publicly celebrated the idea of its cancellation. In fact, a source says ABC’s initial statement was intentionally unclear to give the network, Kimmel, and its stations time to respond to the threats made against Kimmel in a way that would keep the show on the air. A Disney insider stated the company is working to find a way for the show to continue. Another source revealed that Disney CEO Bob Iger and TV chief Dana Walden jointly decided to cancel Wednesday’s taping, with Walden personally informing Kimmel. Discussions between Kimmel and Disney continued on Thursday, aiming to get him back on air quickly.
It’s easy to see why people might think Disney is trying to control the narrative. If Jimmy Kimmel ends up leaving the network, many will likely believe ABC caved to pressure from the Trump administration. Public opinion, as expressed on social media and by commentators, has already largely decided that ABC gave in. Regardless of what happens now, ABC can’t undo its decision to temporarily remove Kimmel’s show after the coordinated attacks by Brendan Carr and conservative media figures.
It’s understandable why Disney acted as it did on Wednesday, even if it seemed harsh. The company’s goal may not have been to punish Jimmy Kimmel, but rather to navigate a difficult situation and ensure the continuation of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* A long-time Hollywood source, unconnected to Disney, believes ABC’s unusually straightforward statement proves the company was reacting on the fly and trying to buy time. According to this source, the statement lacked any attempt to control the narrative, indicating Disney had no response that could satisfy all parties involved – the government, its staff, affiliated stations, or talent. The source admits they likely would have handled the situation similarly.
Although conservatives saw the decision as a win, ABC’s actions unexpectedly turned a story that was mainly discussed within right-wing media into a global news event. Many Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, publicly criticized the situation. Cable news channels provided extensive coverage for hours, content creators threatened to stop working with Disney if Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t reinstated, and Jon Stewart announced a special episode of *The Daily Show* to address it. As one experienced Hollywood executive explained, the move had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of calming things down, it dramatically escalated the controversy.
While it’s hard to feel sorry for Disney or its CEO, Bob Iger, U.S. companies aren’t used to dealing with a government as aggressively focused on punishing its opponents as the current Trump administration. Though Trump often made loud threats during his first term, officials like Brendan Carr have developed a detailed plan – Project 2025 – to learn from past mistakes and more effectively pursue their political goals. Carr represents something new: he doesn’t seem to be an impartial regulator or even just a partisan actor, but someone willing to use government power to fulfill the president’s personal desires. Trump sees late-night comedians and news anchors as his adversaries, and Carr has already targeted both in his first year.
People both inside and outside of Disney are surprised by Brendan Carr’s actions. One TV industry veteran described Carr as someone who seems to be enjoying his newfound power a little too much, comparing him to a former bullied student who is now acting out. Additionally, sources say that as criticism grew over Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks, ABC employees started receiving threats, which has influenced how Disney is responding to the situation.
Despite having time to prepare for situations like this, Iger and his team at Disney haven’t clearly addressed the issue. Even if Jimmy Kimmel returns to the air, Iger’s lack of public statement has likely harmed Disney’s reputation and his own image. Iger is known for supporting talent, and Kimmel has always been a loyal figure at Disney. It seems odd that Iger, or another executive, didn’t issue a statement on Thursday acknowledging the situation and offering condolences for Charlie Kirk’s passing while also defending Kimmel.
Disney has chosen a cautious approach and remained silent to avoid further complications while it figures out its next move. Neither Disney nor Jimmy Kimmel’s team offered any comments on Thursday. It appears they’re discussing what Kimmel might need to say to satisfy ABC and allow his show to return to the air. (The show is canceled for Thursday night.) Equally important, ABC is likely talking with Nexstar and other broadcasting groups to understand their requirements for resuming broadcasts of Kimmel’s show. ABC wants to regain their support, but Nexstar – currently seeking FCC approval for a major merger – has been actively trying to please FCC Commissioner Carr and Donald Trump. According to an industry source, Nexstar viewed this situation as a chance to gain favor with the FCC. With Sinclair, another broadcasting group, also criticizing Kimmel, Disney faces even more pressure.
If ABC and Jimmy Kimmel can agree on how to handle the situation, Disney might be willing to accept that Nexstar and Sinclair will refuse to air his show. While losing viewers in those areas would mean less advertising money, late-night shows aren’t huge profit generators for networks anyway. It’s not like a widespread blackout of Kimmel’s show would be devastating financially, as it might have been in the past. Many people now watch Kimmel on platforms like YouTube and Hulu. Disney could even make *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* available only on Hulu, allowing local stations to fill the time slot with news. The recent decision by CBS to end *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert* makes this option even more feasible, as ABC wouldn’t be the only major network without a late-night program.
No matter how things turn out, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that major media companies will repeatedly face challenges from the highly organized and well-funded MAGA movement, which appears to have strong backing from the government. Networks like ABC, which broadcast both entertainment and news programs, will likely continue to encounter this issue. One Hollywood insider notes that it’s a particularly difficult time to work in PR at a broadcast network, as controversies seem to arise daily. While public disagreements have happened before, the current atmosphere in Hollywood feels different. Previously, backlash often felt like a matter of social justice, but now it feels like a direct attack with the full force of the U.S. government behind it.
Read More
- Creation of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Pharloom map reveals cut areas & major changes
- LINK PREDICTION. LINK cryptocurrency
- GBP EUR PREDICTION
- Katanire’s Yae Miko Cosplay: Genshin Impact Masterpiece
- Ray Tracing in Dying Light The Beast? Yes! And no… It’s complicated!
- Gold Rate Forecast
- “A waffle has many spheres” is puzzling you in Cookie Jam? We know the answer
- These Crypto Exchanges Have Customer Support That Actually Doesn’t Suck
- Looking for “On the grid of happiness” in Cookie Jam? The answer is here
- Puzzled by “The core of flavors” in Cookie Jam? Let’s find the answer together!
2025-09-19 01:55