Flashback: ABC also pulled the predecessor of Jimmy Kimmel after controversial comments

ABC’s shock decision to draw Jimmy Kimmel Live! “Unlimited” after the comments of the Late-Night Host about the killing of Charlie Kirk, a rare moment has created in modern TV media: a big show that is abruptly taken out of the air, forced with its network in crisis management mode.

Rare, that is, but not unprecedented.

What may go unnoticed by many people who respond to the news about Kimmel and his potential cancellation is that this is not the first time that ABC has taken such a step.

In fact, a version of the same thing happened with the predecessor program of Kimmel – Bill Maher’s Politically incorrectWho once had the end of Kimmel and who canceled ABC in the aftermath of a fire storm about comments that Maher made in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September. (Note that I said that I had canceled ‘in the aftermath’ and not ‘because of’ more about that.)

This is what happened:

Less than a week after 9/11, Maher and a panel spoke about the use of the use of the word ‘cowards’ by the then President George W. Bush to describe the hijackers. “We have been the cowards,” Maher experienced, referring to the practice of “Lobben Cruise rockets from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly.”

But then Maher went even further across the line: actually staying on an airplane while it hits a building? “Not cowardly.”

You can read more about the subsequent commotion This ABC news story From 2001, which includes a statement that Maher published through his publicist: “I was in no way planning to say, nor did I think that the men and women who defend our nation in uniform are anything but brave and brave, and I apologize to everyone who has wrongly accepted it.”

To make a long story short, those comments ensured that the White House weighs at the time. Large advertisers fled the show of Maher and various ABC branches dropped. In May 2002, ABC drew the plug from the show – at the time pointing at a decline of the assessments (which caused everyone to lead to that, come on, it was clearly Maher’s comments that did him, because they certainly contributed to the decrease in the assessments.)

As soon as Maher and ABC had set off, the network now needed something to use his time slot. That was the opening that cleared the road for …

… Jimmy Kimmel’s Show, who was launched on ABC in 2003.

The irony is of course difficult to miss. The chair that Kimmel occupied was emptied by Maher’s Ouster, who also followed controversial comments.

Due to a rapid summary of what happened with regard to Kimmel:

The host told his audience on Tuesday, among other things, that “many in Maga Land work very hard to take advantage of the murder of Charlie Kirk.” His comments immediately recovered, reinforced by conservative media. In an interview with a podcaster on Wednesday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr warned that Disney and ABC could experience consequences.

“We can do this in the easy way or in the difficult way,” Said Carr. “These companies can find ways to change behavior and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or there will be extra work for the FCC in front.” ABC eventually noted that the program was drawn indefinitely.

According to CNBCKimmel from this letter has not been fired, which could mean that there is still a chance that his show will eventually return to the air. In the meantime, Sinclair noted in a press release These are ABC stations this Friday a “special memory of Charlie Kirk” (20 September) broadcasting.

That special will be broadcast during Kimmel’s time slot.