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BumRushDaShow

(160,828 posts) Fri Sep 19, 2025, 07:30 PM Sep 19

Late night legend Conan O'Brien breaks silence on Jimmy Kimmel with rare political statement

Source: The Independent

Friday 19 September 2025 16:32 EDT

Late-night TV legend Conan O'Brien has broken his usual silence on politics to speak out in defense of Jimmy Kimmel after his show was suspended following comments he made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

"The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel and the promise to silence other late night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the right, left, and center. It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong," the veteran talk show host said on X Friday.

It was a rare venture into hot-button issues for O'Brien, who has long said he prefers to leave political commentary to other comedians and has criticized boilerplate anti-Trump barbs in the past.

But this week he joined fellow late night hosts David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert in standing by Kimmel. ABC confirmed that Kimmel’s show would be suspended “indefinitely” after the comedian said the “MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” from the fatal shooting of Kirk during his Monday monologue. Kimmel did not mock or celebrate Kirk's death, which he previously condemned as "senseless murder".

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-conan-o-brien-b2830171.html

13 replies

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Late night legend Conan O'Brien breaks silence on Jimmy Kimmel with rare political statement (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Sep 19 OP

Conan's safe from employment by networks now ... he's telling it like it is FakeNoose Sep 19 #1

And Kimmel didn't even criticize Kirk... regnaD kciN Sep 19 #4

The fact that he did not even criticize Kirk is irrelevant. Scalded Nun Sep 19 #7

thanking Mr. Obrien Skittles Sep 19 #2

Anyone with a conscience and half a brain.. thomski64 Sep 19 #3

Conan is also a student of history. progressoid Sep 19 #5

I've always loved Conan Polybius Sep 19 #6

What's happening in the US isn't "cancel culture." It's an abuse of power. summer_in_TX Sep 19 #8

THis is worth making its own op. I didnt have any trouble accessing the rest of the FB post from your link. Amaryllis Sep 19 #11

Thanks for the nudge, Amaryllis. summer_in_TX Sep 20 #12

And Bill Maher? Justice Brandeis Sep 19 #9

Shitler wants to revoke TV station licenses if they say anything negative about him. red dog 1 Sep 19 #10

Love it. Glad Jimmy's being restored to his rightful timeslot! calimary Tuesday #13

FakeNoose

(38,773 posts)

1. Conan's safe from employment by networks now ... he's telling it like it is

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 07:35 PM

Sep 19

This "deification" of Charlie Kirk is absolutely bonkers. If you're going to deify someone, pick a worthy person, not Kirk.

regnaD kciN

(27,309 posts)

4. And Kimmel didn't even criticize Kirk...

Reply to FakeNoose (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 08:35 PM

Sep 19

…he was criticizing the regime for trying to score political points over Kirk’s murder. That was enough to make MAGA big mad.

Scalded Nun

(1,518 posts)

7. The fact that he did not even criticize Kirk is irrelevant.

Reply to regnaD kciN (Reply #4)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 09:41 PM

Sep 19

Like everything else in Trumpworld, facts have no meaning. It only matters what Trump says , and the mindless, witless, hate-filled cultists will march to whatever tune he says is playing.

Skittles

(167,742 posts)

2. thanking Mr. Obrien

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 07:50 PM

Sep 19

it is important to speak up while we still can

thomski64

(757 posts)

3. Anyone with a conscience and half a brain..

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 08:00 PM

Sep 19

...which would account for Krasnov not knowing...

progressoid

(52,008 posts)

5. Conan is also a student of history.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 08:48 PM

Sep 19

He's no dummy.

Polybius

(20,913 posts)

6. I've always loved Conan

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 08:49 PM

Sep 19

He would be my first choice to replace Kimmel, should he not come back.

summer_in_TX

(3,845 posts)

8. What's happening in the US isn't "cancel culture." It's an abuse of power.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 09:45 PM

Sep 19

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1342305460643064&set=a.588252606048357

Carrick Ryan is a former federal agent of Australia, a blogger and political commentator who has a BA in media and a masters degree in international relations. This was posted on his Facebook page. It's one of the better explanations I've seen of what happened to Jimmy Kimmel (and Stephen Colbert etc.) and why.

“It's really important everyone understands why what's happening in the US right now isn't the same "cancel culture" merely turned against progressives. This is far more alarming.
This isn't angry social media users demanding celebrities get fired... this the President of the USA abusing the powers of the state to eliminate criticism of him from the media.

There is no definitive evidence that The Late Show was cancelled to appease Trump, but it was only three days after making this joke that the show was unexpectedly cancelled. Paramount's merger, which had been under consideration by the FCC for more than a year, was suddenly approved nine days later.

Trump immediately shared a gloating post on Truth Social saying with his usual grace: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired”, and added at the end of the long rambling diatribe: “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”

Everything he is doing is designed to intimidate the media into self-censorship... and the terrifying part... it seems to be working.”

You shouldn't need a Facebook account to see the full post if you click on the link.

I copied the whole thing to use it to explain it to my kids.

Amaryllis

(10,710 posts)

11. THis is worth making its own op. I didnt have any trouble accessing the rest of the FB post from your link.

Reply to summer_in_TX (Reply #8)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 10:33 PM

Sep 19

summer_in_TX

(3,845 posts)

12. Thanks for the nudge, Amaryllis.

Reply to Amaryllis (Reply #11)

Sat Sep 20, 2025, 12:07 AM

Sep 20

I'll do that.

Justice Brandeis

(308 posts)

9. And Bill Maher?

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 10:06 PM

Sep 19

I look forward to hearing from him.

I can wait.

red dog 1

(31,904 posts)

10. Shitler wants to revoke TV station licenses if they say anything negative about him.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2025, 10:06 PM

Sep 19

https://democraticunderground.com/100220658534

calimary

(87,931 posts)

13. Love it. Glad Jimmy's being restored to his rightful timeslot!

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Tue Sep 23, 2025, 01:32 AM

Tuesday

This is written on Monday, September 22nd. He's set to resume host duties tomorrow (Tuesday, the 23rd). I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the applause will have been big enough to be measured on the Richter scale.

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