When controversy started spilling beyond the studio, Disney boss Bob Iger reportedly decided to bring Jimmy Kimmel back on air, in part because the suspension was affecting both his and his wife’s social standing in Hollywood.
The fallout from last week’s decision had apparently made even Iger’s personal circles tense, prompting a swift rethink.
Hollywood Pushback Shapes Iger’s Decision
According to sources at Puck, Iger, 74, grew increasingly alarmed by the backlash across Hollywood.
The tipping point came when a women-in-media fundraiser, set to be held at the Los Angeles home of Willow Bay, dean of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, considered withdrawing due to the Kimmel controversy.
A-listers including Pedro Pascal and Lin-Manuel Miranda publicly criticized the suspension, amplifying the pressure on Disney.
Puck described Iger as “thin-skinned,” noting that the global criticism hit him hard—but it was former Disney chief Michael Eisner’s comments that stung the most.
Eisner, 83, blasted the suspension on X, framing it as a free speech issue and questioning the leadership at Disney.
“Where has all the leadership gone?” he wrote, adding that corporate and academic leaders must stand against bullies to defend the First Amendment.
Kimmel Returns to ABC Late Night
Kimmel returned to the ABC late-night show on Tuesday following last week’s suspension.
The hiatus came after he commented that “the MAGA gang” was trying to misrepresent the suspect in Kirk’s assassination.
During his 20-minute monologue, he insisted he had never intended to make light of the killing and criticized former President Donald Trump for supporting efforts to censor comedians.
The host acknowledged that his return put Disney at risk.
“Unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk,” Kimmel said.
“The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from their job.”
A Tearful Defense, Not an Apology
Kimmel’s monologue turned emotional when he addressed the sensitive topic of the Kirk assassination.
He clarified that he did not mean to trivialize the tragedy but never offered an apology.
“I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear… it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, his voice breaking.
He also called out FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, condemning his threats against late-night hosts as illegal, “un-American,” and ultimately ineffective.
Kimmel injected humor into the criticism, comparing Carr to a Trump-branded Tesla.
Conservative Critics Remain Outraged
Despite Kimmel’s emotional return, conservative commentators remained unsatisfied.
Kirk’s former co-host Andrew Kolvet called for a formal apology, suggesting Kimmel admit he was wrong about labeling the shooter as MAGA and apologize directly to the family.
Meanwhile, Disney’s handling of the situation continues to draw attention, balancing support for Kimmel with ongoing corporate and public scrutiny.
Disney Declines to Comment
The Daily Mail reached out to Disney for a statement on the situation, but at the time of publication, the company had not provided a comment.