In brief
Following Jimmy Kimmel's suspension from ABC due to remarks he made about Charlie Kirk, prominent late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers have rallied to his defense. They argue that Kimmel's removal is a direct affront to free speech. The incident has sparked a larger conversation on media freedom, particularly in light of President Trump's threats to networks he deems unfavorable.
America's late-night TV hosts have rallied behind fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel after he was suspended by ABC in a row over comments he made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Stephen Colbert began his show by saying we are all Jimmy Kimmel, and said the star's removal was a blatant assault on freedom of speech.
Seth Meyers declared it was a privilege and honour to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, while Jon Stewart and Jimmy Fallon tackled the free speech issue by doing satirical sketches in which they were apparently forced to praise Donald Trump.
Their broadcasts came shortly after US President Donald Trump stated that major networks were overwhelmingly negative about him and could potentially have their licenses taken away.
The controversy erupted after Kimmel likened Trump's reaction to the conservative activist's death to that of a child mourning a pet goldfish. Critics have accused him of misrepresenting the suspect's political affiliations.
In response to Kimmel's suspension, Colbert remarked that the action was part of a wider campaign against media critics and warned it might encourage others to censor themselves.
Trump's administration has long been scrutinized for targeting media figures and networks critical of him, creating a stark divide in public opinion on the matter of free speech and media integrity.
