Jimmy Kimmel returns: Hollywood and political leaders react

Jimmy Kimmel

David Russell/Disney via Getty Images

• Jimmy Kimmel's show is returning to the air after being pulled last week by Disney-owned ABC.
• Ben Stiller and Gov. Gavin Newsom were among the prominent figures celebrating the news.
• The decision to pull the show faced backlash, including protests and boycott calls.

Less than a week after his show was pulled from the air, Jimmy Kimmel was set to make his return to late-night.

Celebrities and politicians reacted to the news after the Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, said "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" would air again on Tuesday.

ABC had announced on Wednesday last week that the show would be pulled off the air indefinitely following comments Kimmel made after the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension came after pressure from FCC Chair Brendan Carr and the media company Nexstar, which owns ABC affiliate stations.

While President Donald Trump celebrated the initial decision, it was also met with protests and calls to boycott Disney.

On Monday, Disney said it decided to return Kimmel to the air.

Here's how celebrities and other prominent figures reacted to the news.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller said the show being canceled was not right.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Comedian Ben Stiller reshared the news that Kimmel was returning to the air with several celebratory emojis in a post on X.

Stiller has previously said on X that pulling Kimmel's show from the air wasn't right.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom called out FCC Chair Brendan Carr.

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

California Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted to the news on X in a post that called out Carr.

"Thank you to everyone but @BrendanCarrFCC. This is a win for free speech everywhere," the post said.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr

Brendan Carr

John Lamparski/Getty Images for Concordia Annual Summit

When reached by Business Insider to comment on Kimmel's show returning to air, Carr referred to comments he made earlier in the day at the Concordia Summit in New York City.

Carr said the FCC was trying to "empower local TV stations to serve the needs of the local communities."

He said national programmers, such as Disney and ABC, have had too much control over the local TV stations that air their content, and that the local stations don't feel like they can push back even when the programming is not a good fit for their communities.

Carr said the Kimmel situation was an example of those local stations standing up. He said the idea that the FCC threatened to revoke the licenses of Disney and ABC if they did not fire Kimmel was false.

"A lot of the last couple of days can be boiled down, at least in my view, to projection and distortion," he said.

Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

"Last week, Disney/ABC caved to Trump administration pressure. Millions of Americans helped them find their backbone," Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, said in a post on X. "Whether you watch Jimmy Kimmel or not, today's decision is a victory for free speech."

Mamdani also said his team was working to reschedule a town hall with ABC that he had pulled out of over Kimmel's suspension.

Turning Point USA spokesman

Andrew Kolvet

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk, responded to the news in a post on X.

"Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmell back on the air is not surprising, but it's their mistake to make," he wrote. "Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice."

Kolvet was also an executive producer on Charlie Kirk's podcast.

Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Mark Hamill, the actor best known for playing Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars," shared a screenshot of a news story with the headline "KIMMEL BACK!" in a post on Threads, writing, "Meltdown on 'Truth' Social in 5... 4... 3... 2..."

Peter Kafka contributed to this reporting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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