Kimmel Yanked From Airwaves as Administration Launches War on Jokes It Doesn’t Approve
LOS ANGELES — Federal regulators have officially declared comedy a controlled substance, yanking Jimmy Kimmel Live! from ABC after the host dared to note right-wing spin around the killing of activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel’s offense? Suggesting Republicans were twisting the Utah shooting of Kirk for political points, and mocking Trump’s dismissive reaction to the tragedy. “That’s how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel joked—a line now filed under National Security Threat: Late-Night Comedy.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned networks to “respect the public interest” or risk losing their licenses. Nexstar, in the middle of a massive FCC merger review, promptly replaced Kimmel with a looping broadcast of Trump golfing in slow motion.
“Humor must be constructive, respectful, and fully aligned with federal feelings,” Carr told reporters, unveiling a proposed Office of Presidential Amusement to pre-screen punchlines.
Civil-liberties advocates warned the move sets a chilling precedent. As one network insider put it, “Apparently the First Amendment now stops where the President’s ego begins.”