Jimmy Kimmel is ‘incredibly pissed’ and still balking at apologizing for Charlie Kirk comments as Disney bosses scramble
An “incredibly pissed” Jimmy Kimmel failed to make a deal with his Disney bosses Thursday to return to the air — still balking at their push for him to publicly apologize for his Charlie Kirk remarks, sources say.
The furious ABC late-show host went to his lawyer’s office in Los Angeles that afternoon for a video meeting with Disney TV honcho Dana Walden and ABC late-night head Rob Mills to try to figure out a path forward for his show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” sources told The Post.
But neither side could reach an agreement, according to sources and Puck News, which first reported the meeting.
The tense closed-door powwow took place the day after Disney, the parent company of ABC, yanked Kimmel from the air for refusing to cop a mea culpa over his controversial comments Monday and Tuesday about the assassination of conservative icon Kirk and for digging in his heels when asked to tone down his anti-President Trump rhetoric, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Post.
“Jimmy is incredibly pissed, and he’s a guy who never gets angry,” the source said.
The source said Disney execs are looking for a way to reinstate the late-night star while trying to balance the outrage over his comments from the right and sympathetic ABC affiliates with Hollywood’s elite left.
“I think they will reinstate him, but Jimmy could quit,” too, the source noted.
If that happens, the network could end up paying him out of his contract, which is reportedly $16 million a year. A source close to the situation said Kimmel has a year left on his deal.
Reps for Disney and ABC did not respond to Post requests for comment, nor did representatives for Kimmel.
The TV host surfaced Friday dressed in khaki pants, a white open-neck button-down shirt and dark shades getting into a shiny black Audi but declined comment, saying he was just “trying to go to the doctor.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger and Walden, who is known for her great relationships with A-listers, are in the thick of the controversy, too. They are not eager to anger either Hollywood nor the Federal Communications Commission and ABC affiliates Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting.
“Dana is freaking out. Very emotional. Shaken,” another source said of Walden, who has been floated as a potential successor to Iger when he steps down as CEO in 2026.
Here’s the latest on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension after Charlie Kirk comments
“She has been flamed by her liberal friends and is scared of Trump and what he could do to her CEO campaign. She’s afraid to confront stars like Jimmy and undermine her talent-friendly reputation.”
As for Iger, the source said he is “enraged” — but in true Iger-fashion — not showing it and that he thinks Kimmel needs to “de-escalate” the situation.
“This is a stain on his legacy,” a former ABC exec told The Post of Iger and the controversy. “This will be in the first paragraph of his obituary. It’s that bad.”
Iger’s predecessor, Michael Eisner, weighed in on the mess in a tweet Friday, praising Kimmel as “very talented and funny” and ripping the FCC for its “out-of-control intimidation” of Disney and ABC through its threats to curb the host.
Also supporting Kimmel have been late-night rivals Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Jon Stewart.
Former “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien publicly joined Kimmel’s supporters Friday by tweeting, “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. It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”
Actor Ben Stiller, comedians Wanda Sykes and Marc Maron and even former President Obama have also thrown their backing behind Kimmel.
Kimmel got into trouble starting early in his monologue Monday night when he began talking about the brutal killing of Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem last week.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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,” the host said on his show, which is taped in front of a live audience.
Kirk’s accused killer is a lefty trade-school student who is dating a man transitioning into a woman.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr seized on Kimmel’s comments and told CNBC they “appeared to directly mislead” the public.
In addition, online conservatives accused Kimmel of mischaracterizing the political views of the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, whose mother said her son had shifted toward the political left and had become “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”
Disney’s decision to suspend Kimmel also came after pressure from Nexstar and Sinclair, the two largest owners of ABC affiliate stations. Nexstar is currently seeking approval from the Trump administration for its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna.
Shortly before Kimmel’s suspension was announced, Carr, a Trump appointee, hinted at the possibility of the FCC taking action against ABC and Disney, labeling Kimmel’s remarks as “truly sick.”
Disney aims to maintain a positive relationship with Trump and the FCC following a $16 million settlement with the president last year over defamatory statements made by George Stephanopoulos. However, severing ties with Kimmel could have significant repercussions.
According to a former Disney executive, the situation with Kimmel and ABC presents a lose-lose scenario with no favorable outcome.
Despite the challenges, one source believes that Kimmel could emerge from this situation in a better position. The late-night host, who has reportedly contemplated retiring after 22 years, has faced ratings challenges throughout his career.
Kimmel received support from around 100 individuals at a Writers Guild of America protest outside ABC Disney studios in Manhattan. The protest aimed to highlight the complexities of addressing offensive remarks made by late-night hosts.
The events surrounding Kimmel’s suspension have raised concerns about the influence of FCC Chairman Carr’s comments and subsequent actions. The swift response to Carr’s remarks has sparked debate over the control of public airwaves.
Overall, the situation involving Kimmel reflects the delicate balance between freedom of speech, corporate responsibility, and regulatory oversight in the media industry.
