The fallout over Disney-owned ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has reached the company’s own history books. Former Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, who ran the entertainment giant for more than two decades, is publicly criticizing the move, calling it a capitulation to political intimidation.
In a post on Friday on X, Eisner lamented the “lack of leadership” across corporate America, universities, and the legal world, suggesting influential figures are failing to stand up for the First Amendment.
“Where has all the leadership gone? If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the First Amendment?” Eisner wrote. He specifically pointed to the decision to suspend Kimmel’s show following threats from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr as an example of “out-of-control intimidation.”
“The ‘suspending indefinitely’ of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC’s aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation,” Eisner said. “Maybe the Constitution should have said, ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one’s political or financial self-interest.’”
Eisner added a personal note: “By the way, for the record, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny.”
Backlash Builds
Eisner’s remarks join a growing chorus of criticism from Hollywood unions, free speech advocates, and political figures following ABC’s decision to take the late-night show off the air indefinitely.
The suspension was announced shortly after Nexstar Media Group, one of the country’s largest station owners, said it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! in its markets. Nexstar cited Kimmel’s monologue earlier in the week, in which he accused the “MAGA gang” of trying to spin the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk for political advantage.
Just hours before Nexstar’s announcement, FCC chair Carr suggested ABC stations airing Kimmel could lose their broadcast licenses, warning outlets they could handle things “the easy way or the hard way.” Nexstar, meanwhile, is currently awaiting FCC approval for its $6.2 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna, which would give it access to nearly 80% of U.S. households.
Industry and Cultural Flashpoint
The Eisner comments underscore how deeply the Kimmel suspension has shaken Hollywood and raised alarms about the role of government pressure in shaping media decisions. What might have once been another round in the Trump-versus-late-night feud has escalated into a high-stakes fight over corporate independence, creative freedom, and democracy itself.
For now, the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains uncertain. But the debate around it is expanding — drawing in not just unions and fans, but the very executives who once defined Disney’s identity.
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