Whoopi Goldberg adn ‘the View’ Hosts Break Silence, Condemn Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
NEW YORK – After days of relative silence, the hosts of ABC’s “the View” finally addressed the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, joining a chorus of late-night peers and media personalities condemning the decision as a form of censorship. The move comes amid scrutiny of ABC’s response to Kimmel’s jokes about former President Donald Trump and raises questions about the application of FCC regulations regarding “bona fide news” programs.
The suspension of Kimmel, stemming from jokes made about Trump, has ignited a debate over network duty to protect comedic expression versus potential political pressure. FCC commissioner Brendan Carr recently suggested the FCC should review whether programs like “The View” qualify as “bona fide news,” a designation that exempts them from equal opportunity rules requiring balanced coverage of political candidates.Carr noted that while late-night shows like “Saturday Night Live” have historically been considered news, the status of others, including “The View,” is open to debate.
While “The View” hosts had not publicly commented directly on Kimmel’s suspension prior to Monday, September 23, other late-night hosts were swift to criticize ABC’s decision. Stephen Colbert called the suspension “blatant censorship” aimed at appeasing trump, while Jimmy Fallon expressed hope for Kimmel’s return and pledged to continue making Trump jokes despite potential repercussions for “The Tonight Show.” David Letterman described the situation as “managed media” and condemned firing someone out of fear of an “authoritarian criminal administration.” howard Stern canceled his Disney+ subscription in protest, stating that government interference in media is “the wrong direction for our country.”
As of monday, September 22, Kimmel remained off the air. The controversy underscores the increasing tension between entertainment programming, political discourse, and the evolving landscape of media regulation.
