I finally canceled ESPN+ over the weekend, and man, it’s a real chore to cancel some of these subscriptions. They don’t make it easy, obviously. Since ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel last week, people have been unsubscribing from Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN+ at a steady clip. Disney’s stock hasn’t tanked completely, but it’s taken a big hit and they’ve lost billions in a matter of days. Reportedly, a lot of Disney adults are canceling their Disney cruises, Disney weddings and trips to Disney theme parks. This organic boycott has been pretty successful in the short-term, in my opinion. Consumers have changed the conversation from “bonkers right-wing talking points lionizing a murdered racist/bigot” to “actually, censorship is bad and Jimmy Kimmel has the right to point out political hypocrisy.” So what’s happening on a corporate level, and what’s happening behind-the-scenes? From Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw:
This isn’t how Jimmy Kimmel wanted his show to end. The 57-year-old comedian has spoken openly about the imminent conclusion of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which debuted in 2003. Kimmel was going to end the show on his terms — not this year, but soon.
Donald Trump had other ideas. Trump and his FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, saw the backlash to Kimmel’s comments on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and sensed weakness. They attacked one of the president’s most vocal critics and his employer, threatening to revoke ABC’s broadcast licenses and urging local stations to drop the show. Local stations complied, prompting ABC to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air.
Kimmel’s suspension has became an international news story. Comedians, politicians and even some Republicans have said Carr went too far.
Kimmel and executives from Walt Disney, ABC’s owner, met Thursday to try and hash out their differences, multiple people involved in the situation told me. They remained in touch over the weekend and will meet again early next week, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing such a controversial matter. Disney has also been talking to those local TV broadcasters, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair, about carrying the show if it comes back.
Disney wants Kimmel back on the air. But Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger and entertainment head Dana Walden have also asked him to tone down his political rhetoric. Kimmel won’t apologize, nor does he want to be muzzled or censored. He also doesn’t want to put 200 employees out of work or give Trump a scalp. The outcome of these negotiations will leave a lasting mark on the legacy of Kimmel, Walden and especially Iger, one of the most respected US business executives.
It’s worth noting that, on a professional level, Kimmel, his team and Disney’s brass have all acted like adults here. This is a serious situation within ABC/Disney, and it seems like everything is being handled respectfully and carefully. I also believe that Kimmel has gotten his lawyers involved, and god knows, Disney has a full legal team as well. They’re all trying to finesse their way out of this situation. I believe Kimmel sees this correctly, and he’s drawn his line in the sand – he’s not going to apologize, nor should he, and whatever happens, it should not look like Disney is capitulating to Trump. Now, do I also believe that consumers should continue to apply pressure? Yes. Artists should as well. Speaking of, artists skipped a Disney-affiliated premiere last night.
New: Sarah MacLachlan, Jewel, and more musicians scheduled to perform at tonight's premiere for Hulu's ABC News doc LILITH FAIR have all pulled out after Disney scrapped the red carpet. First notable talent consequence of the Jimmy Kimmel situation.
— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) September 22, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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