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After “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was temporarily pulled from the air over the host’s controversial comments about Charlie Kirk, supporters of Kimmel demanded the show be reinstated, claiming his speech was being silenced.
Days before ABC parent company Disney reversed course and announced the program’s return, young conservatives at the Texas Youth Summit in The Woodlands, Texas, offered mixed reactions, with many arguing that “consequence culture” is not the same as “cancel culture.”
“I don’t know a lot about him, but I have heard lots of things about how he has said lots of lies and lots of hatred on his air. People talk about how his free speech was taken away by that, and I’m like, imagine dying for free speech like Charlie Kirk did,” Ella, a Lone Star College student, told Fox News Digital.
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Utah campus event. Prosecutors filed murder charges against suspect Tyler Robinson, who admitted to shooting Kirk in a text message to his roommate and transgender partner, saying that he “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.”
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“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was temporarily pulled from the air last Wednesday after Kimmel appeared to falsely suggest the assassin was a supporter of President Donald Trump. (David Russell/Disney via Getty Images; AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was temporarily pulled from the air last Wednesday after Kimmel appeared to falsely suggest the alleged assassin was a supporter of President Donald Trump.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
At the summit, several conservatives welcomed Kimmel’s removal, saying his remarks crossed the line and ABC made the right decision.
“I love it, I love it, that’s what we need. Culture needs to get rid of that. We don’t need it. Get him off,” Noah said.
Young conservatives discuss campus safety and the assassination of Charlie Kirk at the Texas Youth Summit in The Woodlands, Texas, Sept. 20, 2025. (Fox News Digital)
“Kimmel’s comments on Kirk’s death were just something that you don’t really see in America,” said Fred, a college student and vice chair of special affairs for the Young Conservatives of Texas. “We should not make jokes about that, especially as soon as it was. If you can even call it a joke — which I think a lot of people on the right would say it’s not — and I think ABC made the right move.”
Natalie, an Austin College student, agreed. “I’m okay with it… the way that he reacted to Charlie Kirk’s assassination was very inappropriate,” she said.
Others raised broader concerns about censorship.
“My personal feelings toward his show notwithstanding, I’m concerned about this kind of escalatory situation where the government is wielding its weight to attack private discourse in a way. I’m concerned about the implications of that when the pendulum may swing the other direction and concerned about the implications for free speech in this country,” said Paul from Houston.
YOUNG CONSERVATIVES FEAR CAMPUSES UNSAFE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK KILLING, BUT VOW TO PRESS ON
Around 200 protesters lined up outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif., to rail against Disney’s suspension of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday evening. (Christina House/Getty Images)
Several attendees stressed that Kimmel’s suspension reflected “consequence culture,” not “cancel culture.”
“I disagree with the notion that cancel and consequence culture are the same thing,” said Will, a Young Conservatives of Texas board member.
“It’s not cancel culture, it’s consequences,” said JK, a Texas Public Policy Foundation intern.
Braelunn, from Montgomery, Texas, argued that cancel culture was different because it meant punishing speech that challenged the mainstream.
“If you say something that the status quo goes against, and you get taken down for it, that is cancel culture,” he said. “That is not the American way, that’s not for our First Amendment.”
Ella echoed that distinction.
DISNEY’S JIMMY KIMMEL BENCHING PROMPTS CELEBRATION, BUT ALSO CAUTION, FROM CONSERVATIVES
After “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was temporarily pulled from the air over the host’s controversial comments about Charlie Kirk, supporters of Kimmel demanded the show be reinstated, claiming his speech was being silenced. (Getty Images)
“You do have free speech. Everyone has free speech, but there are consequences to your actions. You can’t just be celebrating the murder of somebody and think that that’s okay, think that people want to employ you after that,” she said.
Fred also said the difference was clear.
“If you’re celebrating or joking about someone who’s been shot, there’s going to be consequences with that,” he said. “That’s not cancel culture. That’s just a consequence of your own actions.”
But Paul, from Houston, argued the issue cut both ways.
“I think it’s a difference in the eye of the beholder. The hard reality is, I think folks on the left would probably have said the same thing when they are going after someone for old tweets or anything like that. So unfortunately, I think it is a double-edged sword, I think it comes both ways,” he said.
Kimmel’s comments about Kirk sparked outrage from conservatives and drew a warning from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr. Disney suspended the show after two major affiliate owners refused to air it, and Kimmel reportedly told executives he would not apologize.
Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment Dana Walden and Disney CEO Bob Iger made the decision to bench Kimmel, sources previously told Fox News Digital.
The decision sparked outrage and protests from the left, who argued Kimmel — a harsh critic of the Trump administration — was being benched for exercising his free speech.
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Less than a week later, The Walt Disney Company announced the show would return.
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” a Disney spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Brian Flood and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.