Jimmy Kimmel is ‘extremely pissed’ and still – Business News
An “incredibly pissed” Jimmy Kimmel didn’t make a deal along with his Disney bosses Thursday to return to the air — still balking at their push for him to publicly apologize for his Charlie Kirk remarks, sources say.
The livid ABC late-show host went to his lawyer’s workplace in Los Angeles that afternoon for a video assembly with Disney TV honcho Dana Walden and ABC late-night head Rob Mills to strive to determine a path ahead for his show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” sources instructed The Post.
But neither facet may attain an settlement, in line with sources and Puck News, which first reported the assembly.
Jimmy Kimmel was seen right this moment exterior of a medical building in Century City. London Entertainment for NY Post
The tense closed-door powwow passed off the day after Disney, the guardian company of ABC, yanked Kimmel from the air for refusing to cop a mea culpa over his controversial feedback Monday and Tuesday concerning the assassination of conservative icon Kirk and for digging in his heels when requested to tone down his anti-President Trump rhetoric, a source with information of the state of affairs instructed The Post.
“Jimmy is incredibly pissed, and he’s a guy who never gets angry,” the source stated.
The source stated Disney execs are on the lookout for a method to reinstate the late-night star whereas attempting to steadiness the outrage over his feedback from the suitable and sympathetic ABC associates with Hollywood’s elite left.
“I think they will reinstate him, but Jimmy could quit,” too, the source famous.
Writers Guild of America East protesting right this moment in entrance of ABC’s Headquarters situated at 310 Hudson Street in Manhattan. William Farrington
If that occurs, the community may finish up paying him out of his contract, which is reportedly $16 million a yr. A source close to the state of affairs stated Kimmel has a yr left on his deal.
Reps for Disney and ABC didn’t reply to Post requests for remark, nor did representatives for Kimmel.
The TV host surfaced Friday wearing khaki pants, a white open-neck button-down shirt and darkish shades entering into a shiny black Audi however declined remark, saying he was simply “trying to go to the doctor.”
Bob Iger poses for photographers on the World premiere of the movie ‘The King’s Man’ in London Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Disney CEO Bob Iger and Walden, who is recognized for her great relationships with A-listers, are within the thick of the controversy, too. They usually are not desperate to anger both Hollywood nor the Federal Communications Commission and ABC associates Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting.
“Dana is freaking out. Very emotional. Shaken,” one other source stated of Walden, who has been floated as a potential successor to Iger when he steps down as CEO in 2026.
Here’s the newest on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension after Charlie Kirk feedback
“She has been flamed by her liberal friends and is scared of Trump and what he could do to her CEO campaign. She’s afraid to confront stars like Jimmy and undermine her talent-friendly reputation.”
As for Iger, the source stated he is “enraged” — however in true Iger-fashion — not exhibiting it and that he thinks Kimmel must “de-escalate” the state of affairs.
Around 100 people attended the WAG protest right this moment. William Farrington
“This is a stain on his legacy,” a former ABC exec instructed The Post of Iger and the controversy. “This will be in the first paragraph of his obituary. It’s that bad.”
Iger’s predecessor, Michael Eisner, weighed in on the mess in a tweet Friday, praising Kimmel as “very talented and funny” and ripping the FCC for its “out-of-control intimidation” of Disney and ABC via its threats to curb the host.
Also supporting Kimmel have been late-night rivals Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Jon Stewart.
Kimmel was seen driving in his car right this moment, simply sooner or later after he didn’t make a deal with Disney to return to the air. London Entertainment for NY Post
Former “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien publicly joined Kimmel’s supporters Friday by tweeting, “The suspension of @jimmykimmel and the promise to silence other Late Night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the Right, Left, and Center. It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”
Actor Ben Stiller, comedians Wanda Sykes and Marc Maron and even former President Obama have additionally thrown their backing behind Kimmel.
Kimmel obtained into bother beginning early in his monologue Monday night time when he started speaking concerning the brutal killing of Kirk at an occasion at Utah Valley University in Orem final week.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” the host stated on his show, which is taped in entrance of a dwell viewers.
Kirk’s accused killer is a lefty trade-school scholar who is relationship a man transitioning into a lady.
President of Disney Dana Walden attends the twenty eighth Annual UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation’s “Taste For A Cure” occasion at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on May 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. Getty Images for UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr seized on Kimmel’s feedback and instructed CNBC they “appeared to directly mislead” the public.
In addition, online conservatives accused Kimmel of mischaracterizing the political opinions of the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, whose mom stated her son had shifted towards the political left and had develop into “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”
Disney’s choice to droop Kimmel additionally got here after strain from Nexstar and Sinclair, the 2 largest homeowners of ABC affiliate stations. Nexstar is at present attempting to win Trump administration approval for its $6.2 billion acquisition of rival Tegna.
Just a few hours earlier than Kimmel’s suspension was introduced, Carr, a Trump appointee, urged that there was a “strong case” for the FCC to take motion towards ABC and Disney — calling Kimmel’s feedback “truly sick.”
One source famous that Kimmel may come out of this case higher off. The Daily Stardust / BACKGRID
Disney is hoping to remain on the nice facet of Trump and the FCC after it settled a lawsuit for $16 million with the president final yr over defamatory claims by its star anchor George Stephanopoulos.
It is additionally hoping to keep up its repute as a home for artistic expertise. But ending its relationship with Kimmel will doubtless do main injury.
“It’s a lose-lose situation with Kimmel and ABC,” stated a former Disney exec stated of the state of affairs. “There is no good solution.”
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But one source stated Kimmel may come out of this higher off. The late night time host, who sources instructed The Post has been angling to retire from his show after 22 years, has been in a scores rut for the higher half of his profession.
“The truth is that Jimmy has been mired in second or third place for 22 years. He is very expensive,” the source stated. “Jimmy hasn’t had more attention and interest in his entire career. He has been talking about leaving the job for years. He can take his talent to YouTube where he gets more viewers anyway.”
U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press convention with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (not pictured) at Chequers on the conclusion of a state go to on September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, Britain. by way of REUTERS
Kimmel obtained additional assist Friday from about 100 people at a protest organized by the Writers Guild of America exterior the ABC Disney studios on Hudson Street in downtown Manhattan.
“It’s very potential a late-night host may say one thing offensive,’’ stated Greg Iwinski, 40, a former author for Colbert Show and John Oliver.
“They ought to genuinely apologize to who they’ve harm in the way in which that they really feel is applicable to try this or they will get yelled at by their bosses or there’s lots of issues that would occur.
“But the treatment to it is not the FCC man goes on a podcast a couple hours later, affiliate teams say we’re pulling the show, then the community pulls the show.
“The challenge right here is that the man in charge of the public airwaves [Carr] stated [Kimmel] ought to be gone, and by night time time, he was gone. So that’s actually the difficulty.’’
-Additional reporting by Erin Maher
