{"id":2572074,"date":"2026-02-20T16:37:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/viewers-bombarded-fcc-with-complaints-when-kimmels-show-was-pulled\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T16:40:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:40:00","slug":"viewers-bombarded-fcc-with-complaints-when-kimmels-show-was-pulled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/viewers-bombarded-fcc-with-complaints-when-kimmels-show-was-pulled\/","title":{"rendered":"Viewers bombarded FCC with complaints when Kimmel&#8217;s show was pulled"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fviewers-bombarded-fcc-with-complaints-when-kimmels-show-was-pulled%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2572074&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An article from Washington Secrets describes how Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s monologue mocking Charlie Kirk\u2019s death triggered a flood of FCC complaints. More than 1,600 complaints were logged, and they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-state-department-nominee-is-a-defender-of-china-propaganda-program\/\" title=\"Biden State Department Nominee Is a Defender of China Propaganda Program\">quickly expanded<\/a> into accusations that regulators were acting like Nazis or were bribed by President trump, with calls to restore Kimmel\u2019s show. In September 2025, the program was pulled from some ABC affiliates, reportedly under pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, and several station owners chose not to air it. The piece notes that complaints about censorship far outnumbered those about Kimmel\u2019s remarks. Kimmel returned to air about a week later, saying he never intended to mock the murder and emphasizing the importance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/project-veritas-strips-cnn-naked\/\" title=\"Project Veritas Strips CNN Naked\">free speech<\/a>. The report is part of Washington Secrets and invites readers to subscribe for more.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Viewers bombarded &lsquo;snowflake&rsquo; FCC with complaints when Jimmy Kimmel&rsquo;s show was pulled over Charlie Kirk comments<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2455886\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>When <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jimmy-kimmel\/\">Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> used his late-night TV monologue to make light of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charlie-kirk\/\">Charlie Kirk&rsquo;s<\/a> death, he triggered a handful of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission.<\/p>\n<p>But when his show was pulled in September 2025, apparently under pressure from the FCC chairman, the result was a deluge of outrage.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4464958\/white-house-report-card-supreme-court-strikes-down-trump-tariffs-iran-questions-loom\/\">White House report card: Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs as Iran questions loom<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4463430\/pollster-trump-republicans-leave-fox-news-comfort-zone-midterms\/\">Trump team urged to get out of its right<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >-wing media echo chamber<\/a> to reach 2026 voters<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4461367\/lindsey-graham-trump-generational-opportunity-iran\/\">Golf diplomacy: Lindsey Graham tells Trump he has &#8216;generational opportunity&#8217; to take on Iran<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Now, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/washington-secrets\/\">Washington Secrets<\/a> has the details.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Allow Kimmel back on air you spineless cowards,&rdquo; reads one of more than 1,600 complaints obtained by the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> using a freedom of information request.<\/p>\n<p>It shows how complaints about the comedian and his remarks quickly gave way to accusations that regulators were acting like Nazis, had been &ldquo;bribed&rdquo; by President Donald Trump, were acting in an &ldquo;un-American&rdquo; way, or had forgotten the First Amendment in a rush to be a &ldquo;lapdog for the president.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;YOU SIR ARE NOTHING BUT A TRUMP BOOTLICKER And Traitor To Our Nation In The First Degree,&rdquo; reads a complaint that came from a viewer in Columbus, Ohio.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT YOU ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR TREASON!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Some were a lot less polite.<\/p>\n<p>The complaints about censorship outnumbered the complaints about Kimmel by about 100 to 1.<\/p>\n<p>Less than a week after Kirk was shot dead during a speaking event in Utah, Kimmel took the stage to deliver his monologue on Sept. 15.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Kimmel went on to mistakenly claim that Vice President JD Vance was blaming the Left for the killing.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Many in MAGAland are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>The complaint file shows several concerns about the segment were logged, with a handful of viewers accusing Kimmel of misrepresenting what happened.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Jimmy Kimmel On His Show Make A Comment About Charlie Kirk That Was Offensive And Spreading False Narratives That It Was The Republican Cause The Murder Of Charlie Kirk,&rdquo; reads one from Mohnton, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p>FCC Chairman Brendan Carr quickly promised action.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We can do this the easy way or the hard way,&rdquo; he told podcaster Benny Johnson. &ldquo;These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there&rsquo;s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Several owners of TV stations announced they would not broadcast his show before ABC, which produces <em>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/em>, said it was taking the comedian off the air altogether.<\/p>\n<p>And the complaints log shows that America is a nation of First Amendment supporters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You Are Weak And Embarrassing,&rdquo; said a viewer in Buda, Texas, on the day ABC made its announcement. &ldquo;Put Jimmy Kimmel Back On The Air. Protect Free Speech!!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A slew of complaints compared Kimmel&rsquo;s words with what Brian Kilmeade had said a day earlier on Fox News a day earlier.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4464958\/white-house-report-card-supreme-court-strikes-down-trump-tariffs-iran-questions-loom\/\"><strong>WHITE HOUSE REPORT CARD: SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN TRUMP TARIFFS AS IRAN QUESTIONS LOOM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is hypocritical of Brendan Carr influencing the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel in light of doing nothing regarding Brian Kilmeade at Fox who talked about involuntary lethal injection for the homeless. This is an outrageous double standard.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Others were more brief, boiling down their complaints to a few words.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Eff off you losers &ndash; saw you on Benny Hill or whatever that was,&rdquo; said one, referring to an old British slapstick comedy show.<\/p>\n<p>Another offered: &ldquo;Brendan Carr is a fragile little snowflake b****.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>And a complaint from Portland, Oregon, reads, &ldquo;I Think Your Chairman Is A Lapdog For The President.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>They easily outnumbered the ones complaining about Kimmel himself and accusing him of misrepresenting the shooting.<\/p>\n<p>Yet conservatives were also worried about how the controversy was handled. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), for example, accused the head of the regulator of acting like a &ldquo;mafioso.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kimmel returned to the air about a week after being suspended. He said it was never his &ldquo;intention to make light of the murder of a young man.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This show is not important,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s important is that we live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>And the right to complain, he might have added.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>You are reading a bonus installment of Washington Secrets, a guide to power and politics in D.C. and beyond. It is written by Rob Crilly, whom you can reach at secrets@washingtonexaminer DOT COM with your comments, story tips, and suggestions. If a friend sent you this and you&rsquo;d like to sign up, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.washingtonexaminer.com\/newsletters\/washington-secrets\/?utm_source=Washington%20Secrets%20Lara%20Trump_01\/21\/2026&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=WEX_Washington%20Secrets&amp;rid=25812206&amp;env=da31c45955c9411a6c40ecd0e967fa8def1f0fc08362faaa0dee09386ff5c41b\">click here.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kimmel pulled; FCC complaints soar over Kirk death joke<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4136,"featured_media":2572075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26017061217072.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651,538],"tags":[16609,4793,8842],"class_list":["post-2572074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-fcc","tag-kimmel","tag-viewers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26017061217072.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572074"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2572078,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572074\/revisions\/2572078"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2572075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}