Hours after ABC aired “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” And while both Sinclair and Nexstar announced they were putting the show on hiatus indefinitely, Kimmel thought it might be over for good. After Sinclair shared a list of demands (including an apology) from Kimmel before returning to the show, he thought it might be a realistic possibility.
“When I thought there wouldn’t be 40 affiliates, I thought, ‘Well, that’s it,’ because it seemed like there was a list of demands that were presented to me, and I wasn’t going to comply with any of them,” he told an audience at the Bloomberg ScreenTime event in Hollywood on Wednesday. “And I was like, ‘Well, I guess it’s over.’ I said to my wife, ‘That’s it. It’s over now. ”
Kimmel eventually returned to the airwaves, and he believes his return to television after a brief hiatus went “as well as it probably could have gone.” Most importantly, he said he wanted a chance to explain what he meant after “I think I was intentionally and maliciously mischaracterized.”
Mr. Kimmel’s appearance on Bloomberg Screentime marked the first time he answered reporters’ questions about last month’s uproar, when he was taken off the air by ABC for several days and moved ahead of Nexstar and Sinclair’s ABC stations.
“It really was something that came from inside of me,” he said, explaining how he prepared for his return episode on September 23. “It had to be true. And I had to lay it all out and be honest about what I felt and what I was going through. And I think I did it. I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect. There’s always going to be people who don’t like it or don’t accept it. But what was important to me was that I could explain what I said and what I meant to say.”
Asked shortly afterward about his meeting with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden, Kimmel said, “We had a really good conversation. They’re people I’ve known for a long time and I really like. We all wanted this to work out for the best. And let me just say, first of all, I ruined Dana’s weekend. I just couldn’t stop calling her all weekend.”
Kimmel praised Walden’s return. “I think it turned out to be very positive, but I don’t think it would have been as positive if I hadn’t had as many conversations with Dana as I did because it really helped me think through everything and understand where everyone was coming from. I can be reactionary sometimes, I can be aggressive, I can be obnoxious, and I think having those days to think about that was really helpful.”
He was then asked if he would choose Mr. Iger’s successor as Disney’s CEO. Kimmel didn’t want to play favorite player, but given his close relationship with Walden and how she helped her get through the events of the last month, he said, “I happen to love Dana Walden very much, and she’s done a great job.” And I think what’s happened over the last three weeks has been very unfair to the bosses at Disney. I don’t think anyone should be put in this position. And I hope they make a really, really bold decision.” Red Lines About what we, as Americans, will and will not accept. ”
Kimmel was detained by ABC for three nights after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to punish the network for comments he made in the host’s monologue. Kerr slammed Disney after Kimmel said the right-wingers are “doing everything they can to score political points by portraying the kid who killed Charlie Kirk as something other than themselves.” In particular, on a right-wing podcast before Kimmel’s benching, Kerr threatened to investigate ABC affiliates if Kimmel was not taken off the air, hinting that the FCC could revoke their broadcast licenses.
Asked when he realized there might be a problem, Kimmel said that at first, “I didn’t think there was a big problem.” “I saw it as a distortion on the part of some right-wing media networks, and I aimed to correct that. I always have problems, and it’s kind of funny because sometimes you think, ‘Oh, this isn’t a problem,’ and then sometimes it becomes a big problem, and sometimes it goes the other way.”
Nexstar and Sinclair pulled Kimmel from ABC after Kerr’s comments and forced Disney to air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Paused. But it turned the controversy into a lightning rod for free speech and gave Kimmel the opportunity to make a roaring return on Sept. 23, averaging 6.3 million viewers. Despite not being aired in 23% of U.S. households, it remains the most-watched regularly scheduled episode of all time. By the end of the week, Nexstar and Sinclair had also restored the show.
Most recently, Carr agreed to appear before the Senate Commerce Committee to testify about the events that led to ABC’s suspension of Kimmel.
Earlier, at a Bloomberg event, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also congratulated Kimmel on his early return. “People were activated and demanded that Jimmy Kimmel be back on the air, and I think that was a great victory,” she said. “So sometimes when you’re struggling and going through these changes, it’s important to understand that having Jimmy Kimmel back on the air was a win for all of us.”
In addition to discussing recent news, Kimmel was asked to elaborate on his earlier comments to Variety that he didn’t think it was true that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled because CBS was losing $40 million a year.
“We know the budgets for these shows,” Kimmel said, estimating about $100 million to $120 million a year. “I know what I’m making. I know what Stephen is making. I know what ad salesmen are making. I know there are values that no one cares about, like affiliate fees that have to be a part of it…I’m not at $40 million. Is the show losing money? I don’t know. If it’s losing money, I can’t imagine losing a lot of money.”
I asked him about the latest status on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” “I often answer that question, but then I do the opposite of what I said. I used to say in the last three contracts, ‘This is going to be like my last contract,’ so I’ve learned not to say anything anymore, because it pisses off the staff. When I make a decision, it’s best for me to make that decision,” he reiterated his claim.
Kimmel said he and comedian Aziz Ansari agreed in advance to discuss the hot topic in a conversation that aired this week about Ansari’s controversial decision to appear at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival.
“I wouldn’t have gone, but I wanted to hear his reasons and I thought he had a compelling reason,” Kimmel said. “Nothing is black and white. I’m not one to do that. But I do understand that closing yourself off from the world or isolating someone may not be a good thing. I don’t know if my reasoning is the right one. Besides, The same thing is happening in this country. I mean, a lot of us don’t want to be responsible for the president’s actions and words. I’m lucky enough to be well known and people know where I’m coming from. From. But I think things would have been different if people didn’t know me. I think the first thing you probably say when you get into every taxi is, “I didn’t vote for him, FYI!” I think this will help you understand his position better. ”
