Kimmel staffer says show unlikely to return as MAGA backlash and Disney options loom

A Jimmy Kimmel staffer told Rick Ellis in a Fox News interview for the Too Much TV newsletter that they cannot imagine a scenario in which the late-night program returns. The staffer said that even if Kimmel issued a public apology and donated to a conservative group, MAGA supporters would never be satisfied, making a comeback unlikely. The show was suspended on Wednesday after Kimmel’s remarks about Charlie Kirk’s shooter. Demonstrators gathered outside the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, as the suspension drew protests from members of the public.

In the interview, the staffer said they were not surprised by the decision to pull the show and that they had zero faith that network executives would stand up for employees. They described the MAGA backlash as a constant pressure, noting threats and heightened attention from supporters in recent years. The staffer suggested a scenario in which Disney might buy out the rest of Kimmel’s contract and replace the program with reruns of Modern Family and Judge Judy, a move they described as cheaper in the short term. They cautioned that such a decision would be justified to protect the bottom line, with executives convincing themselves that the worst is behind them—until new controversy or political scrutiny emerges again.

Producers and staffers faced a volatile climate as the dispute intensified. The staffer said the workplace had already felt strained, with Kimmel receiving threats and attention from political factions for years. The internal view, they indicated, was that the show’s fate had grown tied to public perception and corporate risk management, more than to the quality of the program itself. The comments came as Disney executives weighed broader corporate considerations about branding, park attendance, and performance bonuses tied to overall performance across the company.

Kimmel’s remarks on air and the ensuing backlash had been widely debated. The staffer described the Monday broadcast in which Kimmel condemned the MAGA faction for attempting to characterize the shooter as someone outside their political orbit, and they said the staff did not believe critics had a valid point. The fundraising and political pressure surrounding the incident were described as part of a broader pattern in which the show found itself at the center of a highly polarized media environment. The staffer likened the political climate to a constant warning bell, saying the team felt they were always a step away from potential unemployment in a theoretically uncertain media landscape.

On the business side, the staffer criticized Disney and the leadership at ABC, arguing that Sir Bob Iger and top Disney executives could cut ties with the show if they believed it might harm attendance at the company’s theme parks or affect executives’ annual bonuses. The interview painted a picture of a parent company balancing potential financial losses against the reputational risk of continuing a high-profile program amid a charged political environment. The staffer emphasized that the concerns were not only about the show’s content but also about the marketplace and corporate optics in a time of mounting scrutiny.

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.