Conan O’Brien takes jab at Jimmy Kimmel ‘suspension’

Conan O’Brien has spoken out in support of Jimmy Kimmel as controversy continues to surround the late night host’s ABC show.

“The suspension of @jimmykimmel and the promise to silence other Late Night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the Right, Left, and Center,” O’Brien wrote on X on Friday, September 19. 

“It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”

His comments came just days after ABC confirmed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be “pre-empted indefinitely” following backlash over remarks Kimmel made on September 15 about the death of Charlie Kirk. 

During his opening monologue, the 57-year-old host discussed the political fallout surrounding the tragedy, saying, “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

The response was swift, with FCC chairman Brendan Carr urging Kimmel to apologize, while Nexstar Media, one of the country’s largest station owners, warned it could pull his show from its lineup. 

A decision on the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has not yet been finalized, leaving staff uncertain about what’s next.

Kimmel has not publicly addressed the situation, but his fellow late night hosts have been supporting him. 

On CBS, Stephen Colbert began his September 18 broadcast by declaring, “Tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel,” before calling the network's move “blatant censorship” and adding, “With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100 percent.”

Over on NBC, Seth Meyers described Kimmel’s suspension as “a pivotal moment in our democracy.” 

He went on to praise his longtime friend, saying, “It is a privilege and an honour to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, in the same way that it’s a privilege and honour to do this show every night. I wake up every day and I count my blessings that I live in a country that at least purports to value freedom of speech.

There is a reason free speech is in the very first amendment. It stands above all others.”

As the debate over Kimmel’s comments continues, the fate of his late night show remains unresolved.