Former Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner blasted his former company’s indefinite suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Friday.
In an X post, Eisner claimed that the federal government pressured Disney into suspending the ABC late-night show, suggesting it was an attack on free speech. He also wondered why more people weren’t standing up to this supposed government pressure.
“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.
DISNEY SAYS JIMMY KIMMEL’S SHOW WILL BE PREEMPTED INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION COMMENTS
Eisner, who was Disney’s CEO from 1984 to 2005, published the post in response to Disney pulling late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air on Wednesday. ABC’s parent company made the decision after Kimmel courted major backlash for his statements about the suspected assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
During his late-night opening monologue on Monday, Kimmel seemingly suggested that Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, was a MAGA supporter, despite reports he had a left-wing ideology. Following the host’s comments, outrage grew on social media.
When asked to add his own comments to the mix, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr said in an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson that Kimmel’s comments were “some of the sickest conduct.” He also suggested there were potential “avenues” the FCC could pursue to hold ABC accountable for them.
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Shortly afterward, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair, which own hundreds of TV stations, said they would be preempting Kimmel’s program on their ABC affiliates. Disney shortly afterward announced Kimmel’s show would be preempted “indefinitely.”
Many liberal commentators and Hollywood voices argued that Carr’s words to Johnson were a threat to Disney and ABC and accused the Trump administration of pressuring the companies into censoring Kimmel.
Eisner expressed the same view.
“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,” he said.
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The business mogul continued, suggesting that Carr’s conduct would only work under a revised First Amendment.
“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 then added what appeared to be a dig at President Donald Trump, who said Kimmel is “not a talented person” in a press conference following the Kimmel news.
“[F]or the record, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny,” Eisner added.
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