Rosie O’Donnell issued a bold political response to the indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following his comments about Charlie Kirk‘s death.
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, Nexstar—one of ABC’s largest affiliate groups—pulled the show. Nexstar told Variety that its “owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future, beginning with tonight’s show.”
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
O’Donnell took to Instagram on Thursday, Sept. 18, to share her reaction to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“This is unacceptable,” the former Rosie O’Donnell Show host, 63, declared. “F–k this fascist administration and corrupt corporate executives – bowing to the orange monster – America is no more 🥲.”
In the comments, many of the A League of Their Own star’s followers shared her sentiment, with one Instagram user writing, “This is unbelievable – a hugely frightening development 👏.”
Another follower shared, “Every day I’m flabbergasted when I read the news about America. I’m feeling so sorry for you, people. Now the free speech is also gone.”
Someone else echoed, “Thank you for always being a champion for the truth Rosie! I knew it wasn’t going to stop with [Stephen] Colbert, he literally tweeted this was coming. People need to wake up… now.”
Meanwhile, yet another Instagram user commented, “We will not be silenced! ✊🏽 Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert!”
Related: Charlie Kirk’s Controversial Comments About Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Resurface Following His Death
In its statement about the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Nexstar noted that it “strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
On Sept. 11, Kimmelinitially told his audience of Kirk’s Sept. 10 fatal shooting, “I’ve seen some extraordinarily vile responses to this from both sides of the political spectrum. Some people are cheering this, which is something I won’t ever understand.”
Kimmel again addressed the situation on Sept. 15, sparking backlash. “We had some new lows over the weekend,” he began. “With the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”
Related: Mariska Hargitay’s Social Media ‘Like’ After Charlie Kirk’s Death Draws Attention
In July, ABC announced that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert would be canceled after its current season, with the last episode airing in May 2026.
O’Donnell shared similar feelings about that on Instagram, writing in a direct message to President Donald Trump on July 20, “Hey, tangerine Trump, First you said I should be stripped of my citizenship. Now you’re publicly celebrating that Stephen Colbert lost his job. You’ve never understood the role of comedy — or the role of truth. You think silencing a comedian means you’ve won something. You haven’t. Stephen stood up to you, like so many of us have. Not because it was easy — but because it was necessary. He told the truth with wit and courage, night after night, while you used your platform to spread fear, lies, and hate.”
O’Donnell accused the POTUS of demanding “blind loyalty,” pointing out, “But America doesn’t work like that. We question power here. We laugh at bullies. And we speak out — it leaves [you] undone.”
She concluded, “Stephen will be fine. So will I. So will every artist, journalist, immigrant, teacher, parent, and kid who sees through you, your desperate grasp at relevance, [and your] craving for control. Truth isn’t going anywhere. Neither are we.”
Next: Charlie Kirk & Wife Erika’s Story of How They Met Elicits Mixed Reactions After His Death
