Jimmy Kimmel (Photo by Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals/Getty Images for Easterseals)
Getty Images for Easterseals
The shock decision by ABC to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely” after the late-night host’s remarks about the killing of Charlie Kirk has created a rare moment in modern TV media: A major show abruptly taken off the air, with its network forced into crisis-management mode.
Rare, that is, but not unprecedented.
What might go unnoticed by many people reacting to the news about Kimmel and his potential cancellation is that this is not the first time ABC has made such a move.
In fact, a version of the same thing happened to Kimmel’s predecessor program — Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect, which once had Kimmel’s slot and which ABC cancelled in the wake of a firestorm around comments Maher made in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. (Notice, by the way, that I said cancelled “in the wake of” and not “because of.” More on that in a moment.)
Here’s what happened:
Less than a week after 9/11, Maher and a panel were talking about then-President George W. Bush’s use of the word “cowards” to describe the hijackers. “We have been the cowards,” Maher interjected, referencing the practice of “lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly.”
But Maher then went even farther over the line: Actually staying in an airplane as it hits a building? “Not cowardly.”
You can read more about the ensuing uproar in this ABC news story from 2001, which includes a statement that Maher issued through his publicist: “In no way was I intending to say, nor have I ever thought, that the men and women who defend our nation in uniform are anything but courageous and valiant, and I offer my apologies to anyone who took it wrong.”
Long story short, those comments caused the White House at the time to weigh in. Major advertisers fled Maher’s show, and several ABC affiliates dropped it. In May 2002, ABC pulled the plug on the show — pointing, at the time, to a ratings decline (which led everyone to conclude that, come on, it was obviously Maher’s comments that did him in, because they certainly contributed to the drop in ratings.)
Once Maher and ABC parted ways, meanwhile, the network needed something to put in his time slot. That was the opening that paved the way for …
… Jimmy Kimmel’s show, which launched on ABC in 2003.
The irony, of course, is hard to miss. The very chair that Kimmel occupies was made vacant by Maher’s ouster that also followed controversial comments.
By way of a quick recap of what happened regarding Kimmel:
The host told his audience on Tuesday, among other things, that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” His comments drew immediate backlash, amplified by conservative media. In an interview with a podcaster on Wednesday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr warned that Disney and ABC could face consequences.
“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.” ABC eventually noted that the program was being pulled indefinitely.
According to CNBC, Kimmel as of this writing has not been fired, which could mean there’s still a chance that his show eventually returns to the air. In the meantime, Sinclair noted in a press release that its ABC stations will air a “special remembrance of Charlie Kirk this Friday” (Sept. 20).
That special will air during Kimmel’s time slot.
