Comedians, actors urge ABC to bring back Jimmy Kimmel

• Kimmel's suspension resembled what's happened to teachers, media personalities and airline workers who faced professional repercussions for criticizing activist Charlie Kirk or seemingly minimizing his death.
• Late-night hosts raised free speech concerns on their programs on Thursday night. Stephen Colbert called the Kimmel suspension "blatant censorship," Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon joked about getting canceled and Jon Stewart parodied an autocratic regime on "The Daily Show."

Catch up quick: On Wednesday, an ABC spokesperson told Axios and other outlets that "Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely."

• Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr had earlier warned ABC about potential action after the comedian criticized conservatives over their response to Kirk's killing.
• President Trump praised ABC's decision and called on NBC to do the same to late-night comedians Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.

What they're saying: Several comedians weighed-in on ABC's decision Thursday. Andrew Schultz, Tim Dillon and Sam Morril condemned ABC's decision.

• Dillon said he was against "Kimmel being taken off the air" and "against people being shot for their opinions."
• "The Epstein list won't be released but Jimmy Kimmel will be?" Morril quipped.

Here's how other comedians and actors reacted.

David Letterman

Letterman, a former late-night host, condemned the decision while speaking at The Atlantic Festival on Thursday, per AP.

• "I feel bad about this, because we all see where see this is going, correct? It's managed media. It's no good. It's silly. It's ridiculous."

Ben Stiller

• Stiller's response: "This isn't right."

Patton Oswalt

Oswalt posted an Instagram video in which he praised Kimmel and took swipes at Trump and his base.

• "I think everybody sees what's happening, except the people that are benefiting from this who are pretending like they don't see what's happening," he said.
• "I meet people every day, every weekend, doing comedy," he added. "I know this is not what they voted for. Maybe they thought they were voting for something else. I know this is not what they were voting for. Everyone that's been saying, 'Oh, I support Trump but this isn't what I voted for,' well, now's your time to actually show that."

Wanda Sykes

Sykes said in an Instagram video she was supposed to appear on Kimmel's show Wednesday before it was suspended. She also criticized Trump.

• "He didn't end the Ukraine war, or solve Gaza within his first week, but he did end freedom of speech within his first year," Sykes said on Instagram about President Trump.
• "For those of you who pray, now's the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy."

Bobcat Goldthwait

In a lengthy Instagram post, Goldthwait praised Kimmel and condemned the suspension.

• "Not only do I stand with Jimmy Kimmel, but I love Jimmy Kimmel. He is one of the greatest people I know. Seriously. Not only for years has he stood up to the ugliness and cruelty of this fascist regime, but his kindness and generosity know no bounds," he wrote.

George Wallace

Wallace wrote on BlueSky: "Put @jimmykimmel.com back on the air, wackaflockas. Y'all are a disgrace to every single freedom fry you ate in 2003."

Marc Maron

Maron challenged free speech advocates to support Kimmel.

• "It's happening. Jimmy Kimmel has been muzzled and taken off the air by his network ABC," Maron said in an Instagram video Thursday.
• "This is what authoritarianism looks like right now in this country, it's happening."

Alex Winter

• Winter, who played Bill Preston in the "Bill & Ted" films, posted on BlueSky he supports Kimmel and wants ABC to restore the show.

Mike Birbiglia

Birbiglia urged other comedians to speak out.

• "If you're a comedian + you don't call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air — don't bother spouting off about free speech anymore," he said in a written note posted to Instagram.

What Obama, Carlson are saying

Zoom out: Other public figures expressed concern.

Former President Obama condemned ABC's decision, calling it "government coercion" by a Trump administration official.

• "After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like," Obama said in a post on X.

Relatedly, Republicans such as Tucker Carlson, Karl Rove and former Vice President Mike Pence have urged Republicans to avoid using Kirk's death score political points.

Kelly Carlin-McCall, daughter of George Carlin, wrote on Bluesky her father would have said: "I told you so."

More from Axios:

• Late-night hosts react to Kimmel suspension
• Trump suggests pulling TV licenses from critics
• "Wrong and dangerous": Some Republicans warn against politicizing Kirk's death
• Exclusive: FCC commissioner criticizes administration for "weaponizing" agency's authority

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include details of late-night hosts' reactions to the Kimmel suspension.