The entertainment world is buzzing after Mark Ruffalo, the renowned Marvel actor, publicly voiced his support for Jimmy Kimmel amid the controversy surrounding the late-night host's show. Ruffalo, a prominent figure in Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe, shared a report on Threads indicating a drop in Disney's stock following ABC's pre-emption of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' He warned that canceling the show entirely could lead to a far more significant decline, stating, "It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show. Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America." His statement carries significant weight, given his association with Disney and the potential influence it holds in ongoing negotiations between the media giant and Kimmel.
Ruffalo isn't alone in his defense of Kimmel. Wanda Sykes, a scheduled guest whose appearance was canceled, took to Instagram to express her support and criticize the perceived silencing of dissent. She stated, "He didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy." Conan O'Brien also joined the chorus of voices condemning the suspension of Kimmel's show, emphasizing the importance of freedom of speech across the political spectrum on X (formerly Twitter).
The controversy stems from ABC's decision to indefinitely pull 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' from its schedule after Nexstar Media, a major TV station owner, objected to Kimmel's comments about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The situation raises critical questions about freedom of speech and the potential impact on media corporations like Disney when their programming sparks intense political debate. The ongoing fallout underscores the complex relationship between entertainment, politics, and corporate interests in today's media landscape.
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Originally published at: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/mark-ruffalo-disney-stock-abc-cancel-jimmy-kimmel-live-1236525323/
