Boycott ABC petition launched after Jimmy Kimmel pulled from schedule

Furious viewers have officially launched a petition to boycott ABC following the network's decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel's late-night chat show from schedules over remarks concerning Charlie Kirk's murder.

Supporters of the presenter were left incandescent with rage after Wednesday's announcement that Kimmel's programme faced an "indefinite" suspension, stemming from comments he made regarding Kirk's alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, during Monday's broadcast.

Reports have emerged suggesting Kimmel himself is "livid" about the disciplinary action and that he alongside his team have emptied their offices, prompting fans to make good on earlier threats to shun all ABC content until the host's reinstatement.

A petition has been officially created on change.org and has rapidly gained traction, collecting thousands of signatures since its launch.

The campaign, entitled "Boycott ABC until they restore the Jimmy Kimmel Show and defend fee speech! ," had garnered 24,104 signatures at the time of publication, reports The Mirror US.

"Defend freedom of speech. Let corporate giants like ABC know we will not tolerate catering to the Trump administration's bullying, fascism, and attacks on free speech by boycotting ABC and its advertisers until Kimmel is restored to the airwaves," the petition declares. "Threats by our FCC for someone voicing an opinion on the airwaves is unconstitutional and un-acceptable in a free country.

"Kimmel, a respected comedian and commentator, is being silenced for voicing his opinion about MAGA and charlie Kirk--opinions shared by a majority of Americans," it continued.

"His comments were not rude, disrespectful, or celebratory; rather, they were part of his right to free speech, a cornerstone of our democracy which Charlie Kirk vehemently defended, and a common refrain from Kirk's supporters after his death.

"How is it disrespectful, offensive, or punishable to suggest an opinion that the extreme right played a role in this, if it's not equally rude, insensitive ad punishable when our President uses networks say the same of his opposition?".

The controversy that resulted in Kimmel's suspension began following his 15th September programme, during which he argued that Kirk's alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, actually belonged to the right-wing faction based on his background, whilst criticising MAGA for attempting to paint him as left-leaning. He also ridiculed Donald Trump for repeatedly deflecting questions about Kirk to discuss the new White House ballroom instead.

"We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise 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 stated.

FCC chair Brendan Carr made headlines with his strong condemnation of certain remarks, labelling them "offensive and insensitive" and suggesting that ABC could face consequences if they failed to act, potentially impacting their affiliate stations.

Following the controversy, Nexstar Media Group, which runs a host of ABC-affiliated channels, decided to drop Kimmel's show from its lineup.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, another significant affiliate operator, has called for a public apology from Kimmel, along with contributions to Kirk's family and the Turning Point USA group, insisting on steps to "restore professionalism."

Nexstar's decision to pull Kimmel's programme coincides with their ongoing efforts to secure FCC approval for their acquisition of Tegna.

The President also weighed in on the situation, commending ABC for their decision to axe Kimmel, a move that came after he had hinted at a possible cancellation for the late-night presenter, having previously lauded Stephen Colbert's departure from CBS.

Colbert is currently presenting his last series on CBS, with his dismissal occurring shortly after he lambasted his network's parent company for a $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, which he dubbed a "big fat bribe."

It's worth noting that Paramount was also seeking FCC approval for a sale to new proprietors, Skydance, when Colbert's show was cancelled.