Fox's Brit Hume Backs Right to Drop Kimmel But Wary That FCC Chair Got Involved'

"Backlash against Kimmel was already well underway online over a Monday monologue about MAGA and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk when Carr's commented in an interview with conservative host Benny Johnson. In the interview, he urged individual licensed stations to step up. Hours later, Nexstar moved to preempt the program, and ABC soon followed by announcing that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be suspended indefinitely."

"The First Amendment does not protect performers like Jimmy Kimmel from being cancelled by their private sector employers. But I would have liked the outcome a lot better if the chairman of the FCC had not involved himself in it. Brit Hume (@brithume) September 18, 2025 By contrast, many within MAGA, including President Donald Trump, praised ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Other right-wing commentators were similarly jubilant."

Brit Hume expressed concern that FCC chair Brendan Carr's public criticism of Jimmy Kimmel risked creating the appearance of federal pressure on broadcasters, even while Hume defended ABC's corporate authority to suspend Kimmel. Online backlash followed a Monday monologue referencing MAGA and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Carr urged licensed stations to act; Nexstar preempted the program hours later and ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely. Some MAGA figures including President Trump praised the suspension, while some Democrats warned it signaled a crackdown on free speech. Hume distinguished between private-sector action and what he called troubling government involvement.

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