Jimmy Kimmel Endorses Dana Walden as Potential Disney CEO: “She’s Done a Great Job”

In a rare and revealing interview at Bloomberg’s Screentime event in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel sat down with journalist Lucas Shaw for his first major public appearance following a controversial suspension from Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Near the end of their discussion, Shaw posed a million-dollar question that has been on everyone’s mind in Hollywood: Who should be the next CEO of Disney?

Kimmel, knowing the sensitivity of the topic, started by saying it would be “very foolish” for him to answer directly — considering his status as one of Disney/ABC’s most visible talents. However, he did offer a clear vote of confidence:

“I happen to love Dana Walden very much, and I think she’s done a great job.”

Kimmel’s support isn’t baseless — he’s worked closely with Disney’s executive leadership for years through his late-night show and was in direct contact with top executives, including Walden and current CEO Bob Iger, during his recent suspension. He added that recent events solidified his respect for Walden’s leadership:

“What has happened over the last three weeks was very unfair to my bosses at Disney. No one should be put in that kind of position. It’s insane, and I hope we drew a really bold red line as Americans about what we will and will not tolerate.”

Kimmel’s appearance came two weeks after his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! following a short but intense suspension. The controversy stemmed from comments he made on the Sept. 15 episode of his show, referencing right-wing efforts to politicize the killing of Charlie Kirk:

“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.”

The comment sparked immediate backlash. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr publicly criticized Kimmel, and even threatened ABC affiliates’ licenses. Just two days later, Disney made the decision to suspend the show — a move that triggered uproar across Hollywood. Fans, celebrities, and industry peers rallied behind Kimmel. His return episode, which included a nearly 30-minute opening monologue, earned record-breaking ratings and allowed him to explain his comments, thank his supporters, and defend free speech.

At Screentime, Kimmel pulled back the curtain on what happened behind the scenes during his time off-air. Surprisingly, the talks with Disney leadership were far from hostile:

“I hate to disappoint you, but they were really good conversations,” he said of the discussions with Walden and Iger. “These are people I’ve known a long time and like very much. We all wanted things to work out.”

Still, the situation wasn’t without stress.

“I ruined Dana’s weekend,” Kimmel joked. “It was nonstop phone calls. But I think the outcome would’ve been very different if I hadn’t talked to Dana as much as I did. It helped me understand everyone’s position. I can be reactionary, I can be aggressive, and I can be unpleasant sometimes. Having a few days to process things helped.”

Kimmel also admitted that during the suspension, he thought the show might be permanently canceled. Recalling an earlier incident in his career, he shared how a controversial joke in 2004 led to his show being pulled from the Detroit market. A top ABC executive told him at the time, “If we lose Detroit, you’re done.” Kimmel flew to Detroit and did a week of shows there to make amends.

That experience weighed heavily during the latest controversy. With more than 70 ABC affiliate stations — many owned by Sinclair or Nexstar — dropping his show, he feared history might repeat itself. Adding fuel to the fire, affiliates had reportedly sent a list of demands, including a public apology and a donation to Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA.

“I told my wife, ‘That’s it. It’s over.’”

Though Disney didn’t dictate the exact contents of his return monologue, they aligned on its tone. Kimmel said:

“It had to come from inside me. It had to be truthful. I had to lay it all out there honestly — how I felt and what I experienced. I knew it wouldn’t be perfect. Some people would never accept it. But I needed to explain what I meant.”

When asked about CBS’s surprise cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Kimmel challenged the rumors that the decision was purely financial.

“I don’t believe that it’s losing $40 million a year. I know the numbers — what I make, what Stephen makes, what ad sales bring in. There are affiliate fees that people forget to factor in. It’s not PBS — no one stays on the air if they’re hemorrhaging that kind of money.”

He estimated his own show’s annual production costs at around $120 million, and believes late-night can survive — but at lower costs:

“These shows don’t have to cost that much. You could have a band, guests, the same format — just scaled back. Hosts might earn less, the audience might be smaller, and that’s OK. I like that you can still make something meaningful with 200,000 viewers a night.”

On the topic of the Riyadh Comedy Festival — which sparked controversy after Aziz Ansari and other comedians attended — Kimmel confirmed he wouldn’t have gone. But he acknowledged that nothing is black and white.

“I wanted to hear Aziz’s reasoning, and I thought he made some good points. It’s not something I’d do, but I get it. We all travel, and sometimes we don’t want to be blamed for what our country’s leaders say or do. That helped me understand others’ perspectives better.”

From his public support for Dana Walden to reflections on free speech, media economics, and personal growth, Jimmy Kimmel’s appearance at Screentime showcased a host who’s not only self-aware — but deeply engaged in the industry’s future. Whether or not Walden becomes Disney’s next CEO, it’s clear she has the backing of one of the network’s most influential voices.