Kimmel's Comeback Clashes with Sinclair Stonewall: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns to ABC Tuesday—But Conservative Giant Vows to Keep Preempting Show Indefinitely Amid Charlie Kirk Fury

LOS ANGELES - 23 September 2025 - Jimmy Kimmel Live! is poised for a contentious return to ABC's airwaves tonight, just six days after the network yanked the long-running late-night staple off the schedule in a rare suspension sparked by the host's incendiary monologue on the assassination of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk. The Walt Disney Co., ABC's parent, announced Monday that the show would resume at its usual 11:35 p.m. ET slot, ending what insiders called a "highly criticized" weeklong hiatus. But the rebound comes with a major asterisk: Sinclair Broadcast Group, the nation's largest owner of local TV stations and a staunchly conservative media powerhouse, has dug in its heels, declaring it will indefinitely preempt the program across its dozens of ABC affiliates—potentially blacking out Kimmel for up to 40% of U.S. households.

The saga erupted on September 15 when Kimmel, in a fiery opener, lambasted Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk—whose shocking shooting death earlier that month had gripped the nation—and accused MAGA extremists of fostering a climate of violence, while allegedly misidentifying the suspect as a "MAGA domestic terrorist." The bit, which drew applause from Kimmel's studio audience but swift condemnation from conservatives, prompted advertiser defections, FCC complaints, and calls for Kimmel's ouster from figures like Jack Posobiec, who blasted the host for spreading "misinformation" without an on-air apology. ABC pulled the plug on September 17, marking the first suspension in the show's 22-year history, with Disney citing the remarks as "insensitive" amid national mourning for Kirk, the 32-year-old activist gunned down outside a Phoenix rally.

Kimmel, 57, has remained mum since the suspension, but supporters rallied outside Disney's Burbank studios last week with "Free Speech" placards, decrying the move as corporate censorship in an era of polarized media. The host's return was confirmed in a succinct Disney statement: "Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns Tuesday," with no mention of repercussions or edits to future content. Speculation swirls that tonight's episode—taped live from Hollywood—could feature a meta-segment skewering the preemptions, the Kirk controversy, or even FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who dismissed claims of government overreach in the saga.

Sinclair's defiance, however, threatens to fragment Kimmel's audience overnight. The company, which controls 185 stations including ABC affiliates in key markets like Seattle (KOMO) and Milwaukee, posted on X early Tuesday: "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming." Nexstar Media Group, another major affiliate owner, followed suit in select cities like Phoenix—ground zero for Kirk's death—citing "viewer preferences" for local coverage over "divisive late-night commentary." Sinclair, long accused of pushing a right-wing agenda via must-run segments, has a history of clashing with Kimmel: It preempted episodes as far back as 2017 over his Trump critiques, but this marks the first "indefinite" blackout.

The move has elicited cheers from conservative corners.On the flip side, media watchdogs like the Hollywood Reporter warn of a "fragmented late-night landscape," where affiliate decisions could sideline shows in red-leaning markets, exacerbating echo chambers. ABC has yet to comment on potential arm-twisting of affiliates, but sources say negotiations are ongoing—though Sinclair's earlier demand for "formal discussions" with the network suggests no quick resolution.

As Kimmel takes the stage tonight—his first since the firestorm—the stakes feel higher than ever. Kirk's death, ruled a politically motivated assassination by authorities, has supercharged debates over media responsibility and hate speech, with Kimmel's critics arguing his words "blamed MAGA" prematurely.

For Disney, the swift reinstatement signals a bet on Kimmel's star power—he's averaged 1.8 million viewers this season—over prolonged advertiser jitters. Yet in Sinclair strongholds, from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, audiences will tune into extended newscasts instead, pondering not punchlines, but the headlines that birthed this bizarre broadcast battle. Will Kimmel mock the blackout, or pivot to safer satire? One thing's certain: Late night just got a lot more local.