Cancel Fascism, Reinstate Kimmel

STATE OF PLAY:

UPDATE: WE WON. Thanks to your pressure, Disney announced they're bringing Kimmel back starting September 23rd.  As of September 26th, both Sinclair and Nexstar will also be bringing back the show on their ABC affiliate channels. Our grassroots victory demonstrates that even the largest corporations can be held accountable when the people refuse to sit back and remain silent. 

We must continue to closely monitor these corporations. They’ve already shown a willingness to bend the knee to Trump, and that means our vigilance is more important than ever. And the Trump stooges responsible for this still must be held accountable, however. Please see more below! 

Every day under this administration makes it clearer: nobody is safe from creeping fascism, not even late-night TV. Trump and his cronies are moving at breakneck speed to consolidate power, weaponizing the full force of the federal government to crush dissent, while bending media companies, business leaders, universities, and other institutions to his will.

Timeline of Events:

• December 2024: ABC/Disney caves to a frivolous defamation lawsuit by Trump, paying $15 million to his presidential library rather than going to court to defend the freedom of the press.
• July 17: CBS announces that it will cancel the late-night show of Trump critic Stephen Colbert. The move comes as CBS’s parent company, Paramount, awaits FCC approval of an $8 billion merger.
• July 18: Trump takes to Truth Social to post that “Jimmy Kimmel is next.”
• July 24: The FCC approves Paramount’s merger just one week after Colbert’s cancellation.
• September 10: Charlie Kirk is murdered. Trump administration officials and other Republican leaders began calling for a massive crackdown on the left.
• September 15: In his show’s opening monologue, Kimmel notes that Trump and his allies are “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.”
• September 17-22: Thousands of us across the country canceled our Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ accounts. We took to the streets at ABC corporate offices and Disney locations. And we were joined by influential celebrities, elected leaders, and even typically non-political content creators and fans who came together to generate backlash.
• September 22: Disney announced they're bringing Kimmel BACK!
• September 26: Sinclair released a statement announcing it will also resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its affiliate channels. Shortly after, Nexstar announced it would be following suit. 

The attempt to silence Jimmy Kimmel is just one example of how our institutions, driven by shortsighted self-interest, are caving to authoritarian pressure instead of standing up to it. And although the show has been reinstated, we know it won’t end here.

This was a powerful lesson for both corporate elites and the regime. We must keep up the momentum. We will continue to raise our voices and make it clear: We will not cooperate with ANY attempt at an authoritarian power grab.

CONTINUE FIGHTING BACK

Our pressure on ABC/Disney and its affiliates to reverse their capitulation and reinstate Jimmy Kimmel was successful, but it doesn’t end here. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, as well as Nexstar and Sinclair, still need to be held accountable.

TAKE ACTION

Congressional Pressure 

Contact your Representative by phone and email to demand an investigation into government censorship. Carr’s threats may violate the First Amendment and other federal laws, but Republicans blocked an attempt to subpoena Carr in the House. Turn the heat up and demand that Carr AND affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair are hauled before Congress to testify under oath.

CALL CONGRESS TO DEMAND INVESTIGATIONS

EMAIL CONGRESS TO DEMAND INVESTIGATIONS

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