On Sunday night, John Oliver dedicated the main segment of his HBO show to addressing the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel. Last week, Disney took the unprecedented step of suspending the host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" following controversial remarks made by the ABC late-night host about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The dramatic suspension came after Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr threatened to take action against ABC affiliates. This was in response to a comment by Kimmel during his Monday monologue, which many interpreted as suggesting that the shooting suspect, Tyler Robinson, was a MAGA Republican. "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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," Kimmel remarked.
After station owners Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would not air "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in the wake of these comments, Disney decided to suspend Kimmel indefinitely. The move sparked a backlash from Hollywood A-listers, current and veteran late-night hosts, politicians, and the public. Many accused Disney of caving to pressure from the Trump administration.
On Sunday’s "Last Week Tonight," Oliver opened his main segment by acknowledging the tragic death of Kirk. "A person getting shot is tragic, and a person getting shot for their ideas is horrifying," he said. "That is true no matter what those ideas are. I also recognize that for many, especially those who are the targets of some of Kirk’s ideas, it has been hard to stay quiet as they see flags lowered to half-staff and claims that he debated things the right way. But setting all of that aside, it does seem like some are now willing to weaponize Kirk’s death to do things they’ve been wanting to do for years, whether it’s going after liberal groups, trans people, or their remaining critics in the media, and under some shamelessly flimsy pretext. All of which brings us back to Jimmy Kimmel."
Oliver, who had appeared on Kimmel’s show the very night Kimmel made the controversial remarks, came to Kimmel’s defense, expressing confusion over what exactly was offensive about Kimmel’s comments. "While you may have seen headlines saying he got in trouble for remarks about Charlie Kirk himself, or even remarks about his death, that’s not strictly accurate," Oliver noted. "The comments that got him in trouble weren’t about Kirk. In fact, Kimmel’s first comments after the murder were a post reading, 'Can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents, and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence,'" Oliver added, quoting a social media post by Kimmel.
"What got Kimmel in trouble was a passing reference on Monday night," Oliver continued. "At the time, there were still rumors flying around regarding the killer’s motivations, including that he was on the far right, something that Kimmel alluded to like this," he said, showing a clip of Kimmel’s aforementioned remark.
"Yeah, that was it," Oliver remarked. "Weirdly, I was actually a guest on his show that night, and I didn’t even register that comment. And that’s only partly because I wasn’t really paying attention," he quipped. "And I’m not alone in that. After Kimmel’s suspension, many struggled to pick out the offensive line from his monologue. YouTube is filled with comments under the video like, 'I’m still waiting for the offensive part,' and, 'What did he say that got him fired? I’m rewatching the last week of episodes and haven’t heard it yet.'"
Oliver continued, his tone laced with a mix of incredulity and fervor: “The crux of the matter is, Kimmel didn’t denigrate Charlie Kirk or make light of his hypothetical demise. The most damning critique one could level is that Kimmel appeared to be mistaken about the shooter’s ideology, which, fine, is a stretch. But he was also spotlighting the right's apparent eagerness to weaponize Kirk’s tragic fate—an argument that has aged remarkably well, considering everything that has transpired with Kimmel since. That one line ignited a firestorm in certain conservative media circles.”
Oliver also pointed out Nexstar's underlying motive to curry favor with the Trump administration, given its ongoing bid to acquire competitor Tegna, a move contingent on regulatory approval. “Nexstar desperately needs FCC clearance, so it’s hardly surprising that when Carr explicitly suggested companies should pull Kimmel off the air or face repercussions, Nexstar swiftly complied,” Oliver remarked. “Essentially, Brendon Carr said ‘jump,’ and Nexstar briefly removed his metaphorical penis from their mouths just long enough to ask, ‘How high?’”
Oliver didn’t stop there; he called out Sinclair as another major TV station owner exploring merger opportunities requiring FCC approval, noting that they too announced they wouldn’t air Kimmel’s show, even citing Carr’s remarks in their statement. “We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr’s remarks today,” Sinclair stated, prompting Oliver to quip, “Come on, Sinclair. As Olandria once said to Huda on *Love Island*, ‘Don’t embarrass yourself going too hard for a man.’ Solid advice for the islands of love and for business.”
Oliver went on to highlight Carr’s lack of subtlety, noting that when a media reporter sought comment, Carr responded with a smiley emoji and sent a *The Office* GIF to CNN. “It’s from *The Office*, and that was the actual response from the chairman of the FCC,” Oliver said, adding, “Look, I love *The Office*. Who doesn’t? Sure, seasons 8 and 9 were a bit much, but if it’s on at a hotel, I’m not turning it off. That said, I want you to picture your friend list and pick out the person most likely to text you a *The Office* GIF. Got them in mind? They’re your least favorite friend, right? Be honest. They’re the one you invite just because you’re afraid no one else will show up. They’re a third-string friend, your backup’s backup. And if you’re thinking, ‘There’s nothing wrong with sending *Office* GIFs,’ I’m afraid that person might be you.”
Oliver reiterated the clarity of the events: “The sequence here couldn’t be more transparent. Carr leaned on broadcasters to take down Kimmel. They did, some even directly citing Carr, and then Carr celebrated with a fun GIF. That sure looks like a textbook case of the government pressuring companies to censor speech.”
He argued that Kimmel’s suspension marked a “turning point,” not because comedians are crucial, but because they’re not. “If the government can force a network to pull a late-night show off the air in plain sight, it can do a hell of a lot worse,” Oliver warned.
He quipped that he and his show were in a “different boat” since he’s not on broadcast TV and HBO’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, doesn’t own broadcast networks, making it less vulnerable to FCC pressure than Disney, which owns ABC. Oliver then showed a news clip of Paramount Skydance reportedly preparing a bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, prompting him to shout expletives. “It was fun while it lasted, guys. Whatever comes next, let me say now: It has been the honor of my life to age like a haunted painting before your very eyes,” he joked.
Oliver then underscored the importance of free speech and the First Amendment. “It should be crystal clear to everyone that the First Amendment is absolutely vital in this country,” he said. “Even Brendan Carr knows that, given he once tweeted, ‘Free speech is the counterweight. It is the check on government control. That is why censorship is the authoritarian’s dream.’ And I’m guessing Trump is enjoying that dream so much he could tear his bedsheets in half.”
Oliver urged Disney to stand by Kimmel and his staff, suggesting ways viewers could “encourage” them, including canceling Disney+ or Hulu subscriptions. He wrapped up his segment by addressing Disney CEO Bob Iger directly.
“Hi there, Bob, we haven’t met, but you probably know me as America’s third favorite Zazu,” he joked, referencing his role in *The Lion King*. “Congrats on recasting that role, by the way—fun thing to learn about after the fact.”
“Anyway, one day, the history of this era will be written, and when it is, I’m not sure those in this administration will come off the worst,” he continued. “Don’t get me wrong—they’ll look terrible. But history will also remember the cowards who knew better but let it happen for money, convenience, or comfort. I know this is a tough sell, especially for risk-averse business leaders, but here’s the thing: If we’ve learned nothing else from this administration’s second term so far—and I don’t think we have—it’s that giving the bully your lunch money doesn’t make him go away. It just makes him hungrier each time. They’ll never stop.”
He pressed on: “At some point, you’ve got to draw a line. So why not here? When they come with stupid, ridiculous demands, picking fights you know you could win in court, instead of rolling over, why not stand up and use four words they don’t teach in business school. Not ‘OK, you’re the boss.’ Not ‘Whatever you say goes.’ But the only phrase that can truly make a weak bully back down: ‘Fuck you, make me.’”
