Jimmy Kimmel could have avoided this situation with a simple apology for his tone—and he still could. Instead, he seems determined to continue mixing jokes about murder and MAGA in his monologues.
Reports from Hollywood sources say that many people, from Disney corporate staff to ABC affiliates across the country, were urging Kimmel to apologize as viewership and advertising dropped. He didn’t listen. Disney CEO Bob Iger and the company were likely concerned about lasting damage to the Disney brand, regardless of personal political views.
President Trump’s threats to suspend licenses for broadcasters who criticize his administration, along with his lawsuits against The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, raise concerns about freedom of speech. But Disney’s move should not be seen as giving in to these threats.
Disney is being criticized from both sides. Some on the left are angry that Kimmel was taken off air “indefinitely,” while some on the right are upset he mocked Trump’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death and misrepresented the politics of the alleged killer. Funerals are serious, and responsible broadcasters should separate jokes from real tragedies.
In this tough situation, Iger is taking a careful middle path. Walt Disney himself would likely have acted the same way.
The idea that TV’s golden age was all about bold, shocking humor is misleading. Disney once had scripts and shows reviewed by FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover. Iger, however, is not letting politics dictate his decisions. He even defended former Governor Chris Christie as an ABC News commentator when Trump attacked him.
Some critics remember bold humorists like Dick Gregory, Mort Sahl, George Carlin, and Don Imus, but none of them hosted major network shows. Today, there are thousands of ways for people to express themselves. Legal free speech is different from a private company deciding what content fits its brand.
Pulling Kimmel off the air was not Iger giving in to Trump. Critics like Kara Swisher have unfairly compared him to a “quisling,” a term used for Hitler’s collaborators. That’s inaccurate. This decision reflects Iger’s long-standing goal of keeping Disney family-friendly and broadly appealing, not political.
Iger’s careful approach is consistent. Over a decade ago, he refused to approve a Sony film about the fictional assassination of Kim Jong Un. He said he would never allow Disney to make content that makes murder into humor. Similarly, he was not a Trump supporter, and removing Kimmel is about Disney’s values, not politics.
The current political climate is tense, and some officials have threatened to block media mergers for political reasons. Iger likely would have made the Kimmel decision even without this interference.
Even though many enjoy Kimmel’s humor, what he said was wrong and insensitive. Jokes about Trump’s mourning of a murdered ally are inappropriate. Political violence should never be used as entertainment, no matter the target.
Kimmel could return to TV if he apologizes sincerely. But if he refuses, broadcast TV might no longer be the right place for him, and he may have to turn to online platforms instead.
Iger has consistently defended Disney’s reputation, whether against left or right criticism. He canceled Roseanne in 2018 after its star made racist remarks, seeing that the content did not fit Disney’s standards. He also supported CEOs like Ken Frazier, who resigned from Trump’s business council after Trump’s weak response to racial violence in Charlottesville.
When politicians like Ron DeSantis threatened Disney’s special tax status, Iger reminded shareholders that staying silent in the face of pressure is wrong. He wrote, “Those that stood in silence…still carry the stain of indifference. So as long as I’m on the job, I’m going to continue to be guided by a sense of decency and respect.”
Iger’s decisions show that Disney will continue to follow its core values of decency and respect, no matter how heated political debates become.
