Celebrities Rally Behind Jimmy Kimmel with ACLU-Backed Letter on Free Speech Amid Show Suspension
Published on September 29, 2025
In a bold stand against what they call a “dark moment for freedom of speech,” more than 400 Hollywood luminaries, including Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, and Tom Hanks, have signed an open letter organized by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in support of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The letter, released on September 22, 2025, comes days after ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! due to the host’s controversial remarks about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, amid reported government pressure on broadcasters.
The Spark: Kimmel’s Comments and Swift Backlash
The controversy ignited on September 15, 2025, when Kimmel, during his opening monologue, criticized the MAGA movement’s response to Kirk’s assassination five days earlier. Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10 at a campus event in Orem, Utah. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated murder and related counts; investigators later revealed Robinson’s motivations stemmed from personal grievances, not political alignment as Kimmel implied.
“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, later mocking President Donald Trump’s pivot from condolences to White House construction plans as the “fourth stage of grief: construction.”
The remarks drew immediate fire from conservative outlets and broadcasters. Nexstar Media Group, the largest U.S. TV station owner seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, announced it would preempt the show on its ABC affiliates, calling Kimmel’s comments “offensive and insensitive.” Sinclair Broadcast Group, another major ABC affiliate owner, followed suit, demanding Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and donate to Turning Point USA.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr amplified the pressure, praising the preemptions on X (formerly Twitter) and warning that ABC’s programming fell short of “community values,” hinting at potential license reviews. Hours later, on September 17, ABC suspended the show indefinitely, citing the need for “cooler heads” amid national discourse.
President Trump, during a UK state visit on September 18, celebrated the move, claiming Kimmel was “fired for lack of talent” and poor ratings. The suspension lasted nearly a week, with the show resuming on September 23. Kimmel addressed the uproar in his return monologue, expressing regret for any perceived insensitivity while defending his intent and taking fresh jabs at Trump.
The ACLU Letter: A Unified Cry Against Censorship
The ACLU’s open letter, titled “Defend Free Speech for All,” frames Kimmel’s suspension as a chilling example of government overreach. “We the people must never accept government threats to our freedom of speech,” it opens, condemning efforts to “pressure artists, journalists, and companies with retaliation.”
It highlights broader threats to teachers, researchers, and students, urging unity: “Regardless of our political affiliation… our voices should never be silenced by those in power – because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.” ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero likened the episode to a “modern McCarthy era,” evoking 1950s-era censorship.
The letter has amassed over 475 signatures from the entertainment world, including Disney stars like Selena Gomez, Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, Martin Short, and Meryl Streep—many of whom have projects with the network that suspended Kimmel. Other notable signatories include Jason Bateman, Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Rodrigo, Ben Stiller, Jean Smart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Natalie Portman, Maya Rudolph, Mark Ruffalo, and Kerry Washington.
Category
Notable Signatories
A-L
Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Elizabeth Banks, Robert De Niro, Diego Luna, Jane Fonda
M-Z
Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Natalie Portman, Olivia Rodrigo, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Stiller, Kerry Washington
The petition, available on the ACLU website, has also drawn tens of thousands of public signatures, amplifying calls for First Amendment protections.
Broader Implications: Free Speech vs. Corporate Caution
Kimmel’s saga underscores tensions in late-night TV, where satire often clashes with political sensitivities. Recent polls show most voters attribute the suspension to his Kirk comments but support his return, with 62% viewing it as an overreach. However, his post-suspension ratings dipped sharply— from 6.26 million viewers on the return episode to averages closer to pre-controversy levels—highlighting viewer fatigue amid polarized content.
Critics like Bill Maher have faulted Kimmel for factual errors on the shooter’s politics, while supporters, including Ben Stiller, hailed his comeback as “brilliant.” The incident also spotlights linear TV’s fragility, as broadcasters navigate FCC scrutiny and mergers in a streaming era.
For Kimmel, who has hosted since 2003, the episode marks a precarious return. Yet the celebrity-backed letter signals Hollywood’s resolve: free speech, they argue, must prevail over threats from power. As Romero put it, “This is the moment to defend free speech across our nation.”
