Howard Stern Cancels Disney Plus Subscription Over Jimmy Kimmel Suspension — Calls It a Dangerous Attack on Free Speech

Howard Stern — the legendary shock jock known for speaking his mind — has canceled his Disney Plus subscription in protest of ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live, joining a growing chorus of celebrities calling out what they see as an attack on free speech.

During his radio broadcast Monday, Stern told listeners that his decision was meant to send a message. “I’m trying to say with the pocketbook that I do not support what they’re doing with Jimmy,” Stern said. “I can no longer keep my mouth shut … I feel obligated to say something, because s***’s getting outta control.”

Stern warned that the government interfering in what can or cannot be said on air is a dangerous road for the country. “When the government begins to interfere, when the government says, ‘I’m not pleased with you, so we’re going to orchestrate a way to silence you,’ it’s the wrong direction for our country,” he said, referencing his own past battles with the FCC, which repeatedly fined him for indecent content.

Kimmel was suspended last week after comments he made about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. On his show, Kimmel incorrectly claimed Robinson was a MAGA supporter and blasted conservatives for “desperately trying to spin the story” to score political points.

“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,” Kimmel said before ABC pulled the plug.

The suspension reportedly came after heavy pressure from major broadcast groups that own ABC affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, which removed the show from their local stations.

While much of Hollywood is decrying the move as censorship, others say Kimmel’s removal may have less to do with politics and more to do with ratings.

“If Howard is sad about Kimmel’s absence on air, he should talk to ABC, who made the decision to pull down his unfunny and unpopular show,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the New York Post.

“This has nothing to do with free speech; low-ratings loser Kimmel is free to make whatever bad jokes he wants, but a private company is under no obligation to lose money producing unpopular shows,” she added. According to Jackson, Kimmel’s ratings have plummeted over 63% since his show moved to its current time slot and he has lost over 43% of his audience since Donald Trump returned to the White House.

The controversy has sharply divided audiences. Free-speech advocates argue that silencing Kimmel sets a dangerous precedent and opens the door to political interference in entertainment. Others counter that ABC made a business decision based on declining viewership and pressure from advertisers.

For Stern, the issue is bigger than one late-night host. By canceling Disney Plus, he’s encouraging fans to take a stand with their wallets. “This isn’t just about Jimmy Kimmel — it’s about all of us,” Stern said. “If we stay silent now, tomorrow anyone could be silenced.”

As the debate rages on, industry insiders predict ABC may be forced to address the backlash more directly if pressure continues to mount. Activists are already calling for a boycott of Disney products and services until Jimmy Kimmel Live is brought back.