Jimmy Kimmel Thought His Show Was Over After Suspension: “I Told My Wife, That’s It”

Jimmy Kimmel once believed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would never return after it was suspended by ABC. At the height of the controversy, major affiliate groups Sinclair and Nexstar announced they would pull the show indefinitely, and Kimmel felt that might be the end.

“I told my wife, ‘That’s it. The show’s done,’” Kimmel recalled during an appearance at the Bloomberg Screentime event in Hollywood. “The idea of losing 40 affiliates—it felt like a death sentence. There was a list of demands made to me, and I knew I wasn’t going to comply with any of it.”

Among the demands was a public apology from Kimmel, which he refused to give. Ultimately, the show did return after a brief pause, and Kimmel believes the comeback “went about as well as it could have.”

What mattered most to him, he said, was having the chance to explain what he meant in his controversial remarks—comments that were, in his view, “deliberately and maliciously mischaracterized.” This marked Kimmel’s first time speaking to the press about the incident, which saw ABC pull the show for several nights following political backlash.

Describing how he prepared for the comeback episode on September 23, Kimmel said, “It had to come from within. It had to be honest. I laid everything out—what I felt, what I’d experienced. I knew it wouldn’t be perfect, and not everyone would accept it, but the important part was getting to explain what I meant and what I was trying to say.”

Kimmel also opened up about the conversations he had with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden in the aftermath. He called them “really good conversations,” adding, “These are people I’ve known for a long time and like very much. We all wanted the best outcome.”

He even joked: “I ruined Dana’s weekend. It was non-stop phone calls the entire time.”

Kimmel credited Walden for helping him work through the situation and make a return. “I don’t think it would’ve turned out so positively if I hadn’t talked to Dana as much as I did. She helped me think everything through. I can be reactionary, sometimes aggressive, and occasionally unpleasant. Taking those few days to reflect really helped.”

Asked if he had a pick to succeed Iger as Disney CEO, Kimmel declined to name anyone specifically but didn’t hold back his admiration for Walden. “I love Dana very much and I think she’s done an incredible job. What happened over the last few weeks was very unfair to Disney leadership. No one should be put in that kind of position. It’s insane. I hope this helped draw a very clear line about what’s acceptable in America.”

ABC suspended Kimmel for three nights after FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr publicly threatened action against the network. Carr criticized Kimmel’s monologue in which he accused the political right of trying to reframe the killing of Charlie Kirk for political gain. Carr even warned that ABC affiliates could face investigation—and possibly license revocation—unless Kimmel was taken off the air.

At first, Kimmel didn’t see the gravity of the situation. “I thought it was just the usual distortion from right-wing media. I planned to address it. Sometimes what you think is not a big deal turns into a huge problem—and sometimes the reverse happens too,” he said.

After Nexstar and Sinclair removed the show from their ABC stations, the issue became a flashpoint for free speech. Kimmel returned to air on September 23 with 6.3 million viewers—the most-watched regular episode in the show’s history—even though it wasn’t broadcast in 23% of U.S. households. By the end of that week, both affiliate groups had restored the show.

Brendan Carr has since agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee about the events that led to the suspension.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who also spoke at the Bloomberg event, praised the public response that pushed for Kimmel’s return. “People spoke up and demanded that Jimmy come back on air. That was a huge victory,” she said. “It shows that even in difficult times, we can still make our voices heard.”

Outside of the controversy, Kimmel was asked about his previous comments to Variety criticizing CBS’s claim that it canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert because it was losing $40 million annually.

“I know what these shows cost,” Kimmel said. “Budgets are around $100 to $120 million a year. I know what I make, what Stephen makes, what the ad sales teams make. There are other revenue sources like affiliate fees. Is the show losing money? Maybe. But I doubt it’s losing that much.”

Regarding the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he echoed his usual answer: “Every time I say it’s my last contract, I end up signing another one. So I’ve learned not to say anything because it stresses out my staff. When I make a decision, I’ll make it.”

Finally, Kimmel addressed his recent on-air discussion with comedian Aziz Ansari, who chose to perform at the controversial Riyadh comedy festival in Saudi Arabia. The two agreed beforehand to talk openly about the issue.

“I wouldn’t have gone, but I wanted to hear his perspective,” Kimmel said. “Nothing is black and white. I don’t think isolating people is always the answer. We see it even in this country. When I travel abroad, I don’t want to be judged for what my president says or does. I’m lucky that people know who I am, but if they didn’t, I’d probably hop in every cab and immediately say, ‘By the way, I didn’t vote for him!’ That gives me some insight into Aziz’s choice.”