Two major Disney shareholders are seeking greater transparency regarding the company’s suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show.
Variety and Deadline reported on Thursday, Sept. 24, that the American Federation of Teachers, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and Reporters Without Borders have formally requested internal Disney documents and communications related to the decision to take Kimmel off the air.
Their letter, addressed to Disney CEO Bob Iger and signed by lawyers from the Democracy Defenders Fund, states that they are seeking “answers about whether Disney was involved in any wrongdoing in relation to the Kimmel suspension.”
“The sudden disruption of a major late-night show, followed by its return, has sparked concerns about whether Disney violated its fiduciary duties to its shareholders by capitulating to government pressure,” the letter reads.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to the air on Tuesday, Sept. 23, after nearly a week-long suspension by Disney and ABC over comments Kimmel made in his Sept. 15 monologue regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Kirk’s suspected killer, and President Donald Trump’s response to the violence.
During his first show back, Kimmel opened with a lengthy and emotional monologue addressing both the support he received from viewers and critics, as well as threats he faced from Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
Hours before ABC announced Kimmel’s suspension, Carr indicated he was prepared to take action against the network.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said on conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s podcast. “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.”
Following Kimmel’s reinstatement, Trump also threatened action against ABC for “playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.”
“[Kimmel] is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”
In their letter this week, the Disney shareholders invoked their shareholder rights under Delaware law to obtain information about Kimmel’s suspension. While such rights typically apply to breaches of fiduciary duty rather than management decisions, the groups believe they still have a case.
“There is a credible basis to suspect that the [Disney] Board and executives may have breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and good faith by placing improper political or affiliate considerations above the best interests of the Company and its stockholders,” the letter alleges.
The groups also stated they reserve the right to file a lawsuit “in the event that members of the Board or Disney executives did not properly discharge their fiduciary duties.”
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET and features a diverse lineup of guests including celebrities, athletes, musical acts, comedians, and human interest subjects, along with comedy segments and a house band. The guests for Monday, October 2 included Arnold Schwarzenegger and musical guest Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.
In his second Live! monologue back on Sept. 24, Kimmel addressed Trump’s threats toward ABC with a mix of humor and criticism.
“Only Donald Trump would try to prove he wasn’t threatening ABC by threatening ABC,” Kimmel said.
“And you almost have to feel sorry for the people who work for him, who try to clean up the messes,” he added. “They go to all these lengths to say, ‘Oh, it wasn’t coercion, the president was just musing,’ and then the second Trump is alone, he sits on the toilet, he gets his grubby little thumbs on his phone, and he immediately blows their excuses to smithereens.”
