On September 15, Jimmy Kimmel commented on republicans trying to portray Charlie Kirk’s killer as anything but one of them. Following these remarks, ABC suspended his show indefinitely. Before this, on July 17, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was cancelled, and it was announced that it would end in May of 2026. However, CBS stated it was for financial reasons. In America, the First Amendment outlines our freedom of speech as U.S. citizens, but these cancellations call into question the authenticity of this statement.
Kimmel’s suspension specifically comes at a time of intense political division in America following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s comment was criticized not only by the public but also by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its nature, and while it may have been insensitive, political speech or alignment should not determine what gets broadcast. Regardless of whether the host leans republican or democratic, the point of talk shows is to provide a versatile medium for entertainment, information and conversation. The beauty of talk shows is that each host has their own specific personality and beliefs imbued into the show. Censoring thought-provoking political speech detracts from both the significance of talk shows as a medium as well as the right of Americans to free speech.
CBS tried to brush Colbert’s cancellation aside with the excuse of financial troubles, but looking at the contents of his show makes it seem like a different reason. Colbert had often criticized political figures as well as CBS’s parent company, Paramount, as they had settled a 16 million lawsuit with Trump to get FCC approval for a multi-billion dollar merger with Skydance Media. He described the transaction as a corrupt bribe.
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and Stephen Colbert’s cancellation are troubling because of the implications they have about where our society is headed. People are uncomfortable with political speech because one simple comment can have dangerous consequences, as seen with Kirk. Political speech should occur and should be encouraged, as it creates thoughtful discussion that can help people with opposite beliefs understand where each other comes from. To function as a democracy in America and uphold our constitutional rights, we have to be able to safely have political discussions, whether that be in private or on late-night talk shows. The way we respond to viewpoints like Kimmel and Colbert’s shows that we still have a long way to go until free speech is actually free.
