Radio legend Howard Stern is taking a stand — and a subscription hit — after ABC affiliates dropped Jimmy Kimmel’s show following his controversial remarks about slain conservative icon Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer.
On his SiriusXM broadcast Monday, Stern blasted the network, saying, “I can no longer keep my mouth shut. I feel obligated to say something, because sht’s getting outta control.” The shock jock accused ABC of caving under pressure, calling their move “dumb and f**in’ horrible.”
“I feel for Jimmy and ABC,” Stern added. “Everyone knows what happened. The bottom line is something really horrible happened at ABC.”
But critics quickly countered Stern’s narrative. The controversy ignited after Kimmel falsely claimed the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk was part of “the MAGA gang.” He made that statement on-air using public broadcast channels, without issuing a retraction or correction. Despite intense backlash, neither Kimmel nor ABC have addressed the inaccuracy.
White House press secretary Abigail Jackson responded sharply to Stern’s comments, stating: “This isn’t about free speech. Kimmel can say whatever dumb jokes he wants. But no private company is obligated to hemorrhage money producing shows no one watches.”
According to Jackson, “Kimmel’s ratings have cratered by 63 percent since moving to his current time slot and dropped over 43 percent since President Trump returned to office. This isn’t censorship. It’s failure.”
Stern, however, wasn’t buying it. He announced he’d canceled his Disney+ subscription in protest.
Meanwhile, ABC leadership — including Dana Walden and deputy Rob Mills — still haven’t decided what will fill Kimmel’s now-vacant 11:30 p.m. slot. A meeting is reportedly scheduled this week to determine the show’s future. For now, Kimmel and his team are on paid leave.
