The fallout from Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension is rippling across late-night television, with fellow host Jimmy Fallon suddenly canceling a high-profile appearance in New York just hours after ABC yanked Kimmel’s show off the air.
Fallon, 50, had been scheduled to appear at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival on Thursday for a session titled “Staying On Brand.” But festival organizers confirmed he pulled out at the last minute. The panel went ahead with marketing executive Bozoma Saint John and editor Jeff Beer filling in.
No explanation was given for Fallon’s sudden cancellation, and he has yet to publicly address the decision. NBC, Fallon’s home network, also declined to comment.
The move came the same day ABC announced it was indefinitely suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, sparking fresh debate over politics, comedy, and free expression.
Kimmel Pulled Off Air
Disney-owned ABC said Wednesday it would preempt Kimmel’s late-night show after his monologues criticizing Republicans’ response to Kirk’s assassination drew fierce backlash.
During his Monday show, Kimmel suggested that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Kirk, was part of the “MAGA gang.” He later mocked President Donald Trump’s response, quipping: “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Kimmel also ridiculed Vice President JD Vance and FBI Director Kash Patel’s handling of the case.
The comments enraged critics, including FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who blasted Kimmel’s words as “truly sick” and warned Disney the agency had grounds to hold it accountable for misinformation.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said on the Benny Johnson Podcast.
Within hours, Nexstar Communications, which operates 23 ABC affiliates, announced it would no longer carry Kimmel’s program. Nexstar executive Andrew Alford condemned the host’s remarks as “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
ABC then confirmed the show would be suspended indefinitely.
Trump Weighs In
President Donald Trump cheered the suspension, calling it overdue.
“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” he posted on Truth Social.
Trump also used the moment to attack other late-night rivals, calling Fallon and fellow NBC host Seth Meyers “two total losers.”
He claimed Kimmel had “ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible,” before urging NBC to take similar action against Fallon and Meyers.
Fallout in Hollywood
Outside Kimmel’s Hollywood studio, audience members waiting to attend Wednesday night’s taping were told the show was canceled. Sources told The Post that Kimmel was “absolutely f–king livid” over the suspension but has not yet made a public statement.
Hollywood unions, meanwhile, warned the move set a dangerous precedent for free speech, while conservatives praised the network for taking action.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Disney and Nexstar, both of which are seeking regulatory approval for major deals — Disney’s acquisition of the NFL Network for ESPN, and Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna. Both companies now face added political pressure tied to the case.
A Shaken Late-Night Landscape
Kimmel’s removal follows the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show earlier this year, a move that came just weeks before the FCC approved Paramount’s merger with Skydance.
Now, with Fallon canceling a major public appearance amid the turmoil, the future of late-night television looks more uncertain, and political, than ever.
