Was Robert De Niro on Jimmy Kimmel Live? FCC skit goes viral after return to air

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Jimmy Kimmel returned to hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC last night, September 23rd, after a period of suspension. The show included a long opening monologue and appearances by celebrity guests, leaving viewers to wonder if Robert De Niro was among them.

ABC cancelled its chat show last week, stating the decision was indefinite. This followed criticism from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr regarding an episode from September 15th that featured commentary on Donald Trump’s reaction to the death of Charlie Kirk.

Wow, the reaction to this news was huge! People immediately started calling for a boycott of ABC, and it wasn’t just regular folks – over 400 famous celebrities joined the American Civil Liberties Union in writing an open letter. They were really speaking out against this and defending free speech, which was awesome to see.

After that, ABC – which is owned by Disney – aired the show again last night, with one exception: stations owned by Sinclair and Nexstar continued to refuse to broadcast it. Meanwhile, one of the celebrities who had previously signed a letter of support appeared in a new sketch.

Was Robert De Niro on Jimmy Kimmel Live?

During his speech on last night’s show, the Academy Award-winning actor jokingly criticized Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

The issue arose when Kimmel pointed out that Sinclair and Nexstar continue to avoid broadcasting the show, following pressure they received from FCC Commissioner Carr. This is happening while Nexstar is waiting for the FCC to approve its $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna.

Okay, so things are kinda crazy right now. We’re dealing with a really unexpected problem. After being on the air for almost 23 years, suddenly about 20% of the country can’t even watch the show, and honestly, it’s not something we’re happy about at all. It’s a tough spot to be in.

We’ve invited FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to join us, and we’re pleased he could be here today from Washington, D.C. Let’s bring him on now.

The scene shifts, and instead of showing Carr as expected, we see De Niro playfully impersonating the new head of the FCC.

He began by speaking to Whoopi Goldberg, who recently publicly discussed the issue on her show, The View.

He warned Whoopi Goldberg to show more respect, threatening that if she didn’t, her only view would be from underneath the George Washington Bridge.

So, after that, the actor joked that “Sir Trump” himself gave him the job. Then, Kimmel asked me what I thought about Ted Cruz and a bunch of other celebs saying the FCC was acting like a mob to shut down free speech. It was a pretty wild turn in the conversation!

De Niro angrily demanded, “What did you just say?” Kimmel reminded him that they couldn’t use profanity due to FCC regulations. De Niro jokingly responded, “I *am* the FCC, so I can say whatever I please.”

De Niro joked that speaking isn’t free anymore, explaining they’re now charging per word. When Kimmel asked about the price, De Niro playfully responded, ‘It depends on what you want to say.’

You’re allowed to praise the president’s appearance, like complimenting his hair or makeup, without any restrictions. However, making jokes that are critical or offensive – for example, commenting on his weight – will likely have consequences.

Robert De Niro, known for his role in Taxi Driver, playfully mentioned that the FCC now seems to believe “sticks and stones may break your bones… and words can also hurt.” He jokingly added, “So choose your words carefully, understand?”

The sketch concludes with De Niro acting as if he’s received a phone call from Trump, who compliments his appearance. He then satirizes the president’s recent, baseless assertions regarding the pain reliever Tylenol.

He hung up the phone and explained he had to leave, claiming some Tylenol had fallen off a truck and he needed to find a way to label it for people with autism.

The speech has quickly become popular online, racking up over 8.4 million views on YouTube in just nine hours.

Celebrities write open letter in support of free speech after FCC decision

Robert De Niro was among a group of 400 celebrities-including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Pedro Pascal-who publicly supported Jimmy Kimmel and free speech by signing a letter from the ACLU.

This letter states that citizens should always defend their right to free speech. Attempts by those in power to silence artists, reporters, or businesses by punishing them for expressing their views are a direct attack on the principles of a free society.

Last week, Jimmy Kimmel’s show was temporarily stopped from airing when the government warned a private company about potential consequences. This situation is being seen as a troubling sign for free speech in the United States.

The government is trying to suppress dissent by threatening the jobs and careers of journalists, commentators, and people in the arts and entertainment industries.

This goes against the core beliefs our country was founded on, beliefs that are protected by the Constitution. We understand the importance of this situation extends far beyond ourselves and our particular field.

Many groups, including teachers, government workers, lawyers, scientists, universities, and students, are also experiencing threats to their right to express themselves.

No matter our political views or how involved we are in politics, we all care deeply about our country. We also all believe everyone deserves to be heard, and that when anyone’s voice is suppressed, it affects us all.

Now is the time to protect free speech for everyone in the United States. We’re calling on all Americans to stand with us and the ACLU to defend the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution.

Robert De Niro’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! is getting a lot of positive attention online. People are sharing clips of his sketch and praising his performance, with some fans even expressing their admiration for the actor directly on social media.

One Reddit user called De Niro’s performance “an all-timer,” praising it as exceptionally well done, while another simply stated, “De Niro is great!”

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2025-09-24 16:50