Nexstar’s Still Shunning Kimmel’s Smirkfest, Even After Disney’s All-Clear

Well, folks, the late-night clown car is back, but not everyone's ready to buy a ticket to the circus. 

Nexstar Media Group, which runs 32 ABC affiliate stations, is keeping Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the bench, despite Disney cowardly waving the green flag for its return. You'd think a corporate giant like Disney could strong-arm everyone into compliance, but Nexstar's not budging, not yet, anyway. And honestly, it's refreshing to see someone stand their ground against the Hollywood sanctimony machine.

Nexstar dropped the hammer in a statement Tuesday, saying, "We made a decision last week to preempt 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel's 'ill-timed and insensitive' comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve." 

So, Kimmel's mouth got him in trouble, and we're not here for it until he learns to play nice. They added that Kimmel's show can still be streamed on Disney's platforms, while their stations will stick to local news and programming that actually matters to their viewers. Smart move, less sanctimonious snark, more real-world relevance.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which controls 30 ABC affiliates, is also keeping Kimmel's smug mug off their airwaves. Their statement was equally no-nonsense: "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return." Sounds like they aren't holding their breath for Kimmel to suddenly become a beacon of civility.

This whole clusterfrack kicked off when Kimmel, in his infinite wisdom, decided to weigh in on the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10. Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two little girls, was fatally shot in the neck by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson during a college event.

Robinson, reportedly linked to a gender confused partner, allegedly confessed via text messages, according to the FBI. Kimmel, never one to let facts get in the way of a good narrative, went on a rant last Monday, accusing conservatives of hitting "new lows" by trying to "characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." 

Classy, Jimmy. Nothing says "thoughtful discourse" like baselessly smearing a grieving conservative base while a family buries their loved one. It is definitely time for conservatives to consider boycotting his sponsors now that he's going back on air.

The backlash was swift. Disney yanked Kimmel's show last Wednesday after Nexstar and Sinclair pulled it from their stations, and even the FCC's Brendan Carr called Kimmel's remarks "some of the sickest conduct," hinting at potential consequences. Kimmel, doubling down like a true Tinseltown titan, reportedly told execs he wouldn’t apologize. The left cried "free speech!" while conservatives pointed out that falsely tying Kirk's killer to MAGA wasn’t free speech; it was reckless defamation.

Disney announced Monday that Kimmel, [who is also known for his blackface when he did a Karl Malone imitation] is back on ABC Tuesday night, is likely to address the controversy with his trademark smirk and zero self-awareness. 

Kimmel doing blackface

But Nexstar and Sinclair aren't going along with their crap, and good for them. 

Nexstar, the biggest local TV broadcasting group in the U.S., reaches 220 million people across 116 markets. They're not some small-time operation, they have real clout, and they're using it. Just last month, they inked a $6.2 billion deal to acquire Tegna, which will expand their reach and boost political ad revenue in key election markets like Phoenix and Atlanta. That deal is still pending FCC approval, but it shows Nexstar's focused on real priorities, not Kimmel's ego trip.

Clay Travis, the OutKick founder, weighed in on The Will Cain Show, and you can bet he didn't mince words about ABC's handling of this fiasco. Kimmel's return might thrill the blue-check crowd, but with Nexstar and Sinclair holding firm, it's clear not everyone is ready to forgive and forget. Maybe Jimmy should take a cue from the affiliates and focus on "respectful, constructive dialogue" instead of cheap shots. 

But hey, I'm not holding my breath.

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