Update: Zohran Mamdani said he contacted WABC to reschedule city hall after ABC announced on Tuesday that it would reclaim “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” “Whether you look at Jimmy Kimmel or not, today’s decision is a victory for free speech,” Mamdani writes in X.
Previously: New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has withdrawn from the town hall, which aired on WABC News on September 25th, as ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Last week, the network challenged Donald Trump’s threat from the Federal Communications Commission, suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely following the host’s remarks about the murder of Charlie Kirk. The move was filled with rapid backlash from Hollywood figures, Democratic leaders and even conservative politicians like Ted Cruz. Protests against ABC parent company Disney broke out in New York and Los Angeles.
Mamdani, broadcast on ABC’s local New York Channel, announced that she had resigned from the event in order to protect her freedom of speech and protest against ABC. “We simply cannot accept surrender to Donald Trump’s attack on our fundamental freedoms,” Mamdani said in a statement to Amney. “Now is the time for leadership to fight back with action. Collectively, we need to use all our tools at our disposal to send messages to Washington and corporate authority. Free speech is not a negotiating tip.”
Mamdani spoke at a press conference at Franklin D. Roosevelt for Freedome State Park on Roosevelt Island, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
On Wednesday, after Kimmel commented on the murder of Charlie Kirk on a late-night show and laughed at Trump’s reaction, FCC Chairman Brendan Kerr threatened regulatory pressure on broadcasters who aired that he was misleading or opposed to the public interest. Within hours, Nexstar and Sinclair, who own ABC’s affiliate channels, vowed to take the airing of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and ABC quickly followed, putting the comedian on the bench indefinitely.
On Friday, Variety reported that Kimmel and Disney were working to reach a compromise to get the show back on air, but no agreement has been made. Disney continues to compensate Kimmel staff during work halts.
