United News of Bangladesh

ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after he made comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk sparked backlash and led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to refuse to air the program. Kimmel, who has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003, drew controversy with remarks on Monday and Tuesday in which he accused “MAGA land” of trying to exploit Kirk’s assassination for political gain. The network acted swiftly after Nexstar Communications Group — which operates 23 ABC affiliates — announced it would pull the show. “Kimmel’s comments are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. There was no immediate comment from Kimmel, whose contract with ABC expires in May 2026. The network did not specify a reason for the suspension. President Donald Trump praised ABC’s decision on Truth Social, saying, “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He also renewed attacks on other late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them “two total losers.” Trump had previously celebrated CBS’s cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, predicting Kimmel would be “next.” Audience members waiting to attend Wednesday’s taping of Kimmel’s show were informed at the last minute that it had been canceled. “They didn’t tell us what had happened… It seemed a bit extreme,” said Tommy Williams, a would-be audience member from Florida. Kimmel’s monologues this week took aim at Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and FBI Director Kash Patel, accusing them of politicizing Kirk’s death. Critics said he misrepresented facts about the suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who authorities say had recently embraced left-leaning views and LGBTQ rights. The controversy has also drawn in regulators. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, called Kimmel’s remarks “some of the sickest conduct possible” and suggested suspension was justified. A conservative group, the Center for American Rights, filed a complaint accusing ABC of “reckless indifference” and political bias, urging regulators to take action. However, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized the administration’s pressure campaign, warning against “using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression.” The dispute comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to police speech surrounding Kirk’s killing, with Vance even urging Americans to report those who mocked the assassination. Kimmel has long been a vocal critic of Trump, often clashing with conservatives over his satirical commentary. The indefinite suspension leaves uncertainty over the future of one of ABC’s longest-running late-night franchises.  

There weren't a lot of laughs, but President Joe Biden got some unsolicited advice from Jimmy Kimmel when the president sat down for his first in-person interview with a late-night host since taking office. The host of ABC's “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” expressed frustration on Wednesday about the intractable problems in Washington, and he advised the president, “I think you need to start yelling at people." Biden demurred, saying the country is still suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but he insisted he’s “never been more optimistic in my life.” Kimmel swiftly interjected: “Why are you so optimistic? It makes no sense!” Also read: Biden evacuated after plane entered airspace near beach home Biden said he was pinning his hopes on young people, the “best educated, least prejudiced, most giving generation in American history.” “This generation is going to change everything,” Biden said. “We just have to make sure we don’t give up.” The show was taped in the afternoon in Los Angeles. Biden is visiting the city for this week’s Summit of the Americas, which brings together countries from across the hemisphere. First lady Jill Biden was in the audience, along with Biden’s granddaughter Naomi and her fiancé. Biden's only previous late-night appearance as president was in December, when he spoke remotely with Jimmy Fallon on NBC’s “The Tonight Show." Kimmel began his interview by asking about gun control, referencing a string of recent mass shootings. "I guess, I mean, just to get into it, why haven't we done anything about this?" Kimmel asked. Biden responded that “this is not your father’s Republican Party,” and he blamed his political opposition for being too afraid to do anything about guns because they fear primary election challenges. Also read: Biden says ‘we have to act’ after Texas school shooting Kimmel pressed Biden on whether he could use executive orders to increase gun control, noting that former President Donald Trump “passed them out like Halloween candy.” Although Biden has taken some unilateral steps on firearms, the president said he wasn't interested in stepping beyond the limits of his authority. “I don’t want to emulate Trump’s abuse of the Constitution and constitutional authority,” he said. Biden said he knows some people feel like “Republicans don’t play it square, why do you play it square.” “Well, guess what,” he said. “If we do the same thing they do, our democracy will literally be in jeopardy. Not a joke.” Kimmel responded, “It’s like you’re playing Monopoly with somebody who won’t pass go or won’t follow any of the rules, and how do you ever make any progress if they’re not following the rules.” “You’ve got to send them to jail,” Biden joked. At another point in the interview, Kimmel suggested he was disappointed in the progress that was being made on issues like climate change and abortion. “We’ve moved backwards,” he said. Later on, Kimmel sympathized with Biden’s challenges, particularly the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision that is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion access nationwide. “What a terrible job you have,” Kimmel said. “I’m glad you’re doing it. But, boy oh boy, does this seem like a bad gig.” Biden said he was looking at executive orders that could help with abortion access — “we’re looking into it right now” — but said the best solutions were through legislation and elections. If the court overturns Roe v. Wade, Biden said, “it’s going to cause a mini revolution and they’re going to vote a lot of these folks out of office.”