After making comments about conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week in what right-wingers in the US believe to be a political assassination, Jimmy Kimmel’s live show was pulled off the air by Disney-owned ABC.
However, Kimmel’s removal is alleged to violate his First Amendment rights to free speech, which are guaranteed by the US Constitution.
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The removal of Kimmel’s show was the subject of a protest on Thursday that gathered hundreds of Kimmel fans in Burbank, New York, and Hollywood.
What exactly happened and what the US Constitution says about free speech rights are examined more closely.
Jimmy Kimmel’s fate, what happened to him?
Conservative ally Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 while giving a speech at a university in Utah in front of a crowd of about 3, 000 people.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was detained on suspicion of killing Kirk after a 33-hour manhunt. Since then, Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder.
Some right-wing figures associated with Donald Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) wing have referred to Robinson as “left-wing”.
Kimmel stated on his show on Monday that “The MAGA gang is desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and using all means to gain political points from it.”
Kimmel criticized Trump’s response to Kirk’s death, saying that he was “like a son.” An adult grieving the death of a friend does not do this. A four-year-old despises a goldfish in this manner,” Kimmel said.
Broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair announced that they would discontinue Kimmel’s late-night program after a backlash.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman, Brendan Carr, added that Kimmel, Disney, and ABC would all face legal action.
In an interview with CNN, Carr’s response was criticized by Anna Gomez, the only Democratic member in the FCC. Gomez claimed that “this administration is increasingly repressing lawful expression.”
The FCC has the authority to grant broadcasters licenses, including ABC and its affiliate stations.
According to Democratic critics, Kimmel’s freedom of speech is violated by the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits his show from air.
What is stated in the First Amendment?
Free speech is protected by the First Amendment. There is a provision in the bill that states: “Congress shall make no law repressing the right of the people to assemble peacefully, and petitioning the government for redress of grievances,” prohibiting the free exercise of that right, or denying the right to free speech, the press, or the people’s right to peaceful assembly.
The US Supreme Court ruled in 1963 that the government could not “impose a system of informal censorship” by putting pressure on private companies.
A Rhode Island agency threatened to prosecute book and magazine distributors for selling objectionable publications after the release of this letter.
The Supreme Court ruled last year that plaintiffs must show that the government’s actions directly caused them harm and exceeded the persuasion’s guidelines.
Was Kimmel’s show’s elimination constitutional?
According to experts, Kimmel’s show’s cancellation violates the First Amendment’s free speech guarantee.
Carr’s actions are “a classic case of unconstitutional jawboning,” according to Ronnie London, general counsel for the free speech advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
The FCC says on its website that “the public interest is best served by allowing free expression of views.”
“Communications law and policy seek to encourage responsive “counter-speech” from others rather than suppressing speech.” Even though some viewpoints or expressions may be extremely offensive, following this principle allows for the most diverse and opposing opinions to be expressed.
What was the response to Kimmel’s removal?
The importance of upholding free speech rights has been highlighted by numerous Democrats, politicians, Hollywood figures, and other talk show hosts.
On Friday, former US President Barack Obama posted a number of articles and commentary on X, saying, “This commentary makes a clear, powerful statement about the importance of free speech, whether the speaker is Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Kirk, or MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.”
Whether Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents, the statement made in this commentary is clear and powerful about why freedom of speech is at the core of democracy and must be protected.
Obama stated in a previous post that “media companies need to start standing up to the First Amendment rather than capitulating to it.” This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was intended to stop.
At a party in New York on Thursday, former late-night host David Letterman said, “We all see where this is going, correct? ” It is managed media. It is not good. It’s absurd. It’s absurd.
The state under Donald Trump has a “horrifying record of enforcing speech, extorting private companies, and removing the full weight of the government’s censorship hammer on First Amendment rights,” according to Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Adam Schiff, a senator from California, wrote on X on Thursday that the administration’s “responsible” actions on the free press have been the most obscene attacks in American history. What will remain of the First Amendment?”
The political right, in contrast, has erupted in celebration of Kimmel’s show’s suspension.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.”
“Congratulations to ABC for having finally the guts to carry out the required work.” If that’s the case, Kimmel has ZERO talent and worse ratings than Colbert. On Fake News NBC, Jimmy and Seth are now two total losers, Trump continued, referring to late-night show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
