The Jimmy Kimmel story keeps on chugging. Bloomberg reports that after Kimmel and executives from Walt Disney met on Thursday to try to hash out their differences, they have subsequently remained in touch over the weekend and will meet again early next week.
Their sources say Disney has also been talking to local TV broadcasters, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair, about carrying the show if it comes back. In fact, Disney reportedly wants Kimmel back on the air with CEO Bob Iger and entertainment head Dana Walden said to have asked him to tone down his political rhetoric.
Kimmel allegedly won’t apologise, nor does he want to be muzzled or censored, but he also “doesn’t want to put 200 employees out of work or give Trump a scalp”.
Going into the backstory, the report says Disney wasn’t fussed about the blowback online initially after his Monday show and Kimmel had planned to go on air again on Wednesday and address the controversy.
Things changed on Wednesday following FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s remarks in an interview with conservative pundit Benny Johnson. Nexstar, which needs FCC approval for its $6.2 billion takeover of broadcaster Tegna, then told Disney it was going to take Kimmel off the air.
Kimmel still planned to address the issue, but Disney worried his remarks would further inflame the situation. Walden appealed to Kimmel to adjust his remarks before Wednesday’s taping. When the two couldn’t agree, that’s when Walden made the decision to yank the show after consulting Iger.
Disney is now in a difficult position. If he’s put back on air, he risks angering Trump more. Keeping him off is alienating the creative community who are very upset about this, not just those who have been vocal online. Both sides are calling for people to cancel Disney+ in retaliation or protest.
Adding to the complications is Trump himself with the report saying the President’s talk of “punish[ing] any network that criticises him” has prompted its own backlash, even from some of his supporters, and increased pressure for Kimmel to return. The suspension became an international news story with comedians, politicians and Republicans weighing in and claiming Carr went too far.
