The backlash against Disney’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! spread to New York on Friday, where more than 100 members of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) and their supporters massed outside Disney’s Lower Manhattan headquarters.
The protest, staged in coordination with other labor allies, came two days after ABC announced it would “preempt indefinitely” the long-running late-night program. That move followed pressure from Nexstar Media Group, which said its ABC affiliates would no longer air the show, and threats from Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr suggesting that stations could lose their licenses if Kimmel remained on air.
Signs, Chants, and Solidarity
Marchers filled the sidewalk with handmade signs accusing Disney executives of caving to political intimidation. Messages included “Disney/ABC Bows to Trump Extortion,” “Absolute Bull- – Cowards,” and “Always Be Cowards.” Chants of “Bring Jimmy back” echoed up and down the block, while speakers blasted the suspension as both censorship and an attack on union jobs.
“This is not just about one show. This is about whether political leaders can bully companies into silencing artists,” said Greg Iwinski, a WGAE council member and late-night writer. He warned that threatening broadcast licenses could set a precedent that chills expression across every format, from sitcoms to daytime talk shows.
“What if a relationship on a drama doesn’t fit the values of Donald Trump?” Iwinski asked. “What if it’s not racially representative of what he thinks? All of that is now on the table.”
Guilds and Allies Respond
The demonstration also featured support from the Central Labor Council of New York City, SAG-AFTRA, the Directors Guild of America, musicians’ unions, and elected officials, including Comptroller Brad Lander. The Writers Guild West and East issued a joint statement calling ABC’s decision “corporate cowardice” that endangers democracy itself:
“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people,” the guilds said. “It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.”
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner also joined the chorus, posting on X: “Where has all the leadership gone? 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.”
Broader Industry Fallout
The New York protest follows demonstrations earlier this week outside Disney headquarters in Burbank, where hundreds gathered with signs and chants demanding Kimmel’s reinstatement. High-profile showrunners and producers, including Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, have said they will not work with ABC or Disney unless Kimmel returns.
Even within Republican ranks, some have balked. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called FCC chair Carr’s threats “dangerous as hell” and likened them to organized crime tactics.
Still, Carr defended the move, writing on X that broadcasters “retain the right to not air national programs they believe are inconsistent with the public interest.” Nexstar, meanwhile, is moving forward with its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, which would expand its reach to nearly 80% of U.S. households.
Kimmel, who has expressed sympathy for Kirk’s family online, has not commented publicly since the suspension. His future with the network remains in limbo, with discussions reportedly underway about how — or if — the show might return.
For the guilds, though, the message was unequivocal: silencing one late-night host isn’t just about one show, it’s a direct attack on the rights of every writer and performer.
Is a Chicago protest looming?
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