Ex-Disney CEO slams successors over Jimmy Kimmel suspension

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner is not mincing words about the company’s recent decision to sideline Jimmy Kimmel Live indefinitely.

“Where has all the leadership gone?” he posted on X on Friday. “If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the first amendment?”

He continued, “The ‘suspending indefinitely’ of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC’s aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation. Maybe the Constitution should have said, ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one’s political or financial self-interest.'”

Eisner concluded his missive by sharing his feelings about the late-night host: “By-the-way, for the record, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny.”

Eisner served as Disney’s chief from 1984 to 2005, and for many longtime fans of the House of Mouse, became synonymous with the brand thanks to his stint hosting The Wonderful World of Disney for many years, from 1986 to 2002.

Disney-owned ABC put Jimmy Kimmel Live on an indefinite suspension on Wednesday after network affiliate groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, announced that they would preempt the talk show in response to Kimmel’s comments about the death of Charlie Kirk. Earlier that day, FCC chair Brendan Carr encouraged local broadcasters to preempt Kimmel’s show and called for the ABC parent company to intervene, claiming that the host’s remarks “appears to be some of the sickest conduct possible” during an interview with The Benny Show.

On Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel said, “We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”

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Eisner is one of many industry members who have spoken out in protest over the decision. He joins a chorus that includes current and former late-night hosts, including Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Jimmy Fallon, all of whom have publicly shared their disapproval.

Former President Barack Obama and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof are among those who have made similar remarks. The latter even called for Kimmel’s swift reinstatement and threatened not to work with the Disney-owned network in an Instagram post on Thursday.

“I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon,” wrote Lindelof, whose hit show, Lost, famously aired on ABC. “If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it.”

Lindelof was the first high-profile Hollywood figure to state outright that they wouldn’t work with ABC or Disney if the late-night host isn’t allowed back on air.

For his part, Kimmel has yet to publicly weigh in on the matter.