Many people within and outside the broadcasting industry were stunned and concerned by the decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, off the air "indefinitely." The bombshell move came this week. It was announced after the comedian made some remarks about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah, on September 10. The situation has sparked a robust ongoing debate about freedom of speech, what should be allowed, and how much latitude entertainers like Kimmel should have.
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One of those who is publicly taking issue with the show's sudden pause is Stelen Covel, 28. He is the son of the late country music icon Toby Keith.
On his Instagram Stories, Covel posted, "For what it's worth — Not a fan of Kimmel's but I think what Kimmel said probably didn't warrant a firing, He's said much worse," To clarify, ABC suspended the show, per pbs.org. For how long is unclear.
Covel Called the Move a "Business Decision"
He added, "Companies like Disney make safe decisions like this all the time. Likely just a business decision to save money from Bob Igor. [Bob Iger is the CEO of Disney, ABC's parent company.] He [Kimmel] will do a show on Netflix or Hulu or a podcast or some other slop and make the same money."
Kimmel's Controversial Remarks
The comments that brought the situation to a head a few days ago were made by Kimmel during his monologue on Sept. 8, per the outlet via Variety. Kimmel said, "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,"
Kimmel also showed a clip of President Trump answering a question from a reporter at the White House. The reporter about how Trump is dealing with Kirk's death. The president pivoted quickly and mentioned the construction of a new ballroom taking place at the White House. Kimmel then retorted, "Yes, he's at the fourth stage of grief: Construction."
