ABC is trying to get a new deal to broadcast the NFL, and that deal could be worth millions of dollars. However, with Donald Trump going after his critics, particularly late night talk show hosts like Jimmy Kimmel for making fun of him, the network may be given a difficult choice.
ABC has been getting a ton of backlash for firing Kimmel, who the Trump administration accuses of making inappropriate jokes about the late far-right provocateur, Charlie Kirk, despite him actually making fun of Trump and not Kirk. Thousands have been cancelling their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions in the wake of Kimmel’s suspension, with reports indicating that ABC may be trying to get Kimmel back because of the backlash.
However, a report from Front Office Sports indicates that those plans may sabotage the NFL deal, especially with Trump’s FCC threatening ABC parent company Disney of repercussions regarding Kimmel.
Trump’s FCC chair, Brendan Carr, threatened Disney and its affiliates that if they do not take action on Kimmel regarding his comments on Kirk, the FCC could deny the company licenses and other things they need to operate. Disney complied and suspended Kimmel.
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But what did Kimmel say that got him in trouble? He stated that Charlie Kirk’s killer was actually a right-winger and poked fun at the right’s attempts to spin his conservative background to make him look more liberal.
“The Maga gang [is] desperately 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,” Kimmel said.
This led to him poking fun at Trump not really caring about Kirk’s death, and playing a clip of the president nonchalantly changing the subject from Kirk to the ballroom he was building in the White House.
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel joked.
What Was the NFL Deal With Disney About?
As for Disney’s deal with the NFL, it would have its main sports brand, ESPN, acquire the NFL Network in a landmark agreement. In return, the NFL would own a 10% equity stake in ESPN, including the NFL’s linear RedZone Channel and NFL Fantasy.
No exact amount on how much the deal is worth has been made, but it is reportedly a multimillion-dollar deal. However, Trump FCC chair Brendan Carr may not allow this deal to happen should ABC lift its suspension of Kimmel, given his threats regarding the matter, as the FCC may step in to stop any Disney acquisition, even if it has nothing to do with Kimmel. Critics are calling this an attack on the freedom of speech.
While Kimmel’s Late Night Show was taken off air indefinitely, he did make an appearance on Howie Mandel’s Podcast on Thursday opening up on the matter for the first time.
“I really think that when they were trying to buy Fox, they were worried that Trump was going to screw them up somehow and that’s part of why they were nervous about my comments. I don’t think their political beliefs conflicted with mine, but if you want to have a big audience, you don’t want to piss a lot of people off and I was pissing a lot of people off”.
While there have been no official statements as of this writing, Kimmel is reportedly involved with amending the situation as Disney looks to reinstate the ABC host’s talk show, per New York Post.
Related:
Cavinder Twins, Lane Kiffin, Pat McAfee and More Mourn Charlie Kirk’s Tragic Death at 31
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