The country has been in a collective state of shock since it was announced Wednesday (Sept. 17) that Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night talk show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” was to be pulled off the air indefinitely, ostensibly due to comments he made about the murder of Charlie Kirk.
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Whether or not you’re a fan of Kimmel’s comedy, the suspension — and President Donald Trump’s comments that there may be similar moves targeting others still to come — have a lot of people thinking about what the television landscape could look like in the next few years.
President Barack Obama, Don Lemon and Shannon Sharpe are among the Black celebrities who are speaking out on social media and sharing their thoughts about ABC’s decision and what it means for freedom of speech in our country.
Here’s how Black celebrities are responding to the news of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show being pulled from the air.
President Barack Obama
On Sept. 18, former President Barack Obama took to X to share his thoughts, pointing out the hypocrisy that exists within the Trump camp, which sold voters on their belief in free speech only to take it away from someone they disagree with.
“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” he wrote.
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Obama went on to say that the right to express ideas should exist whether we agree with the speaker or not.
“This commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended, whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents,” he added.
Wanda Sykes
Comedian Wanda Sykes was on her way to an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! when she learned the news of his suspension. She immediately posted her support for her fellow comedian, and took a little time to point out some of the campaign promises President Trump has yet to deliver on.
“So let’s see, he didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week, but he did end freedom of speech within his first year,” she said in a video post. “For those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it.
Don Lemon
Journalist Don Lemon says he doesn’t believe Kimmel’s on-air remarks were controversial, and he shared a warning with his followers about potentially darker days to come.
“The Jimmy Kimmel Live! show has been preempted indefinitely over a joke,” he captioned his September 18 post. “This should send a chill down everyone’s spine in America!”
Luenell
Comedian Luenell showed her support for her friend and fellow comedian, shouting him out for always giving her a platform to express herself.
“This is Love. For anybody who doesn’t know, I stand with and RIDE with my first amendment rights and Jimmie’s as well. We ALL have the right to free speech. Jimmie has given me the opportunity to express myself for the last five years @kimmelscomedyclub IN Las Vegas without fear. This is all Sad, egotistical and ridiculous. Jimmie I have your back. I’m just a regular Black woman in America, but I know my rights if that still means anything. PERIOD✍🏽🫶🏽,” she wrote on Instagram.
Stephen A Smith
Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts about Kimmel’s suspension on his show, saying that he is concerned that government is making moves to inhibit free speech, especially since he makes a living speaking his mind.
“I am incredibly alarmed by what appears to be our First Amendment rights being attacked,” he said. “This is what I do for a living, I don’t like that.”
He said he believes the move is a part of Trump’s plan to get revenge on people who tried to keep him out of office and put him in prison adding, “The man is coming, and you have to adjust accordingly.”
Sen. Cory Booker
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) also called the FCC’s move an attack on the First Amendment.
“This is wrong. This is an assault on free speech. This is our government using its power to censor and silence its critics like Jimmy Kimmel,” he wrote on X.
Flavor Flav
Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav posted his words of support for Kimmel on X.
“Team Jimmy Kimmel,,, that guys my family,” he wrote
Shannon Sharpe & Chad Ochocinco
“We’re heading down a slippery slope, Ocho, Sharpe said. “Because I remember people made fun of Joe Biden and they made fun of George Floyd, and they made fun of a lot of Blacks that got killed. They made fun of a lot of people that did some things, and that’s free speech,” he said. “You gotta be on your best behavior the next three years.
Charlamagne Tha God
Veteran radio host Charlamagne Tha God is known to criticize both the right and the left, and he wasted no time calling out the Trump administration for attempting to cancel someone who said something they don’t agree with – especially since they criticize people on the other side of the aisle for doing the same thing.
“I mean for an administration that doesn’t like being labeled authoritarian, they damn sure do a lot of authoritarian things,” he said during a discussion about Kimmel’s suspension on an episode of The Breakfast Club. “It could be get back, but it’s very hypocritical if it is.”
Godfrey
Comedian Godfrey said he was surprised that Kimmel, someone he called one of the safest white guys on television, was being targeted for something he said on air. But he warned that when white guys start getting cancelled, it’s a sign of danger ahead.
“White dudes are getting cancelled? You know it’s trouble,” he said on TikTok.
W. Kamau Bell
Comic and television host W. Kamau Bell co-signed Godfrey’s sentiment during a talk at The Atlantic Festival.
“It’s weird to think of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert as the canaries in the coal mine,” he said. “But if they’re telling us, ‘We’re not afraid of rich white men,’ what can the rest of us do?”
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