Jimmy Kimmel negotiating compromise to bring talk show back on air
The show was pulled off the air on Wednesday, with executives saying it would be 鈥減reempted indefinitely鈥 over Kimmel鈥檚 remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
NEW YORK 鈥 Jimmy Kimmel and Disney are reportedly negotiating a compromise that would allow for his talk show to return to air.
Business and legal representatives for the longtime late-night host have been in talks with the higher-ups at ABC and its parent company, Disney, with the hopes of bringing 鈥淛immy Kimmel Live!鈥 back to TVs nationwide, Variety reported, citing three sources with knowledge on the matter.
The show was abruptly pulled off the air on Wednesday, with executives saying it would be 鈥減reempted indefinitely鈥 over Kimmel鈥檚 remarks about the discourse triggered by the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
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Since then, the 11:35 p.m. slot has been filled with reruns of 鈥淐elebrity Family Feud,鈥 and a Charlie Kirk memorial special that aired Friday.
Kirk was shot on Sept. 10 during a student Q&A at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour. He was hit in the neck by a lone bullet during the outdoor event on the Orem, Utah, campus and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Kirk, the co-founder of conservative organization Turning Point USA and a major ally of President Donald Trump, was 31 years old.
In wake of the deadly shooting, Trump and his conservative allies were quick to place blame on 鈥渢he radical left,鈥 while Democrats suggested the shooter鈥檚 ideologies seemed to slant more to the right.
Kimmel鈥檚 ousting was specifically prompted by comments he made during his opening monologue Monday night, suggesting that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing Kirk, appeared to align more with conservative beliefs despite the right鈥檚 efforts to condemn the left.
鈥淭he MAGA gang [is] 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,鈥 Kimmel said, while criticizing the president for rhetoric that only served to further divide America.
Kimmel鈥檚 comments dealt only with the political aftermath of Kirk鈥檚 murder, not the heinous act itself. In fact, right after the shootings, he posted his grief on Instagram and broadcast support to Kirk鈥檚 wife and their two young kids.
鈥淚nstead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?鈥 Kimmel wrote on the day Kirk was shot. 鈥淥n behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.鈥
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