Vice President J.D. Vance weighed in Friday on ABC’s decision to indefinitely suspend late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, criticizing those who are now decrying the move as a violation of free speech after remaining silent during years of censorship targeting conservatives.
Kimmel’s suspension followed remarks he made about the suspected killer of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
The network has not announced how long the suspension will last or whether Kimmel will return to the air.
In a post on X, Vance said Kimmel’s removal was not surprising given the state of his show.
“Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t funny, his ratings were in the toilet, and his advertisers were revolting. Also, the bellyaching from the left over ‘free speech’ after the Biden years fools precisely no one,” Vance wrote.
Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t funny, his ratings were in the toilet, and his advertisers were revolting.
Also the bellyaching from the left over “free speech” after the Biden years fools precisely no one.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 19, 2025
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The vice president, who acknowledged he once watched Kimmel regularly, said the show declined when it embraced progressive politics.
“There was a point where I’d watch his show nearly every night. He’s a genuinely talented guy, but like so much good and funny in the world, the woke thing destroyed it,” Vance said.
There was a point where I’d watch his show nearly every night. He’s a genuinely talented guy, but like so much good and funny in the world the woke thing destroyed it.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 19, 2025
The debate surrounding Kimmel’s suspension quickly expanded into a broader argument over free speech.
Vance pointed out that many of the same voices now defending Kimmel had no objection when social media platforms removed President Donald Trump or when conservatives were censored.
Before Elon Musk acquired X, Trump was banned from that platform, along with Instagram and Facebook.
YouTube also demonetized conservative accounts that challenged pandemic restrictions.
At the same time, the Department of Justice drew criticism for labeling outspoken parents at school board meetings as potential threats.
Vance noted that these actions received support from the same political circles now calling Kimmel’s suspension censorship.
Media figures such as Brian Stelter previously supported efforts to pressure cable companies to drop Fox News.
Stelter called such efforts a “harm reduction model.”
For fuller context, here’s CNN’s former Fox News analyst, @oliverdarcy, ginning up pressure on cable carriers to drop Fox News https://t.co/x1oLaW07kB https://t.co/fVHZYr2XL6
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 18, 2025
Critics argue that such commentary directly conflicts with current outrage over a network’s choice to remove a late-night host.
Comedian Jamie Kennedy also weighed in on the controversy.
In a lengthy statement, he argued that Kimmel’s firing was not an assault on free speech but a matter of accountability. “The cancellation of The Jimmy Kimmel Show is NOT an attack on free speech or ‘Comedy.’ The cancellation is the rejection of repugnant INHUMANITY,” Kennedy wrote.
Kennedy continued, “A man was ruthlessly gunned down, in front of the entire world, because he was just using his free speech. Then another man made a ‘joke’ with a whole writing ‘STAFF,’ using his massacre as the source material for ‘comedic fodder’ that was then broadcast on TV for the entire world to see, because he was also using his free speech.”
He criticized those defending Kimmel, writing, “NOWWW, somehow people are in ‘SHOCK’ and claim VICTIMHOOD when the man is fired from his job, while using free speech. WHAT DONT YA GETT!?!”
Kennedy added that losing a job is different from government suppression of speech, calling it “morality clause accountability.”
Kennedy concluded, “Say it with meeee, ya ready??? Murder for words = actual FASCISM. Losing JOB for words = morality clause accountability. RULE #1 in comedy issss…the ‘ability’ to …..READ THE ROOM!!!”
I went really slow because the soulless ones may have trouble understanding….kayyyyy pic.twitter.com/yhsu2E6rjO
— Jamie Kennedy (@JamieKennedy) September 19, 2025
The Kimmel controversy comes amid a larger national debate over the limits of free speech, accountability in media, and whether political bias determines how rules are applied.
Vance’s comments highlighted what he described as hypocrisy among those defending Kimmel now, compared with their silence during earlier crackdowns on conservative voices.
ABC has not said when or if Kimmel will return, while reactions to the decision remain divided across political and media circles.
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