Portnoy rails at Kimmel as late-night return fuels free-speech debate in culture and entertainment

Dave Portnoy, the Barstool Sports founder, blasted Jimmy Kimmel over the comedian’s defense that his remarks about Charlie Kirk constituted free speech, calling Kimmel a “joke” and saying he deserved to be taken off air. Portnoy’s critique came as Kimmel returned to ABC after a brief suspension tied to the controversy surrounding comments about Kirk’s killing in Utah earlier this month. Portnoy asserted on X that the issue was not free speech but accountability for off-color jokes about a public figure, arguing that those who offend a broad audience should face consequences when they work for a large network.

Kimmel took the stage on Tuesday after being briefly pulled from the air and delivered a tearful, 20-minute monologue at the top of the show. He said he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death and denounced those he said were using the tragedy for political points. He also condemned threats against him by Donald Trump, noting that the president had urged he be fired. Kimmel acknowledged that ABC’s parent company, Disney, was taking a risk by reinstating him and argued that the network should not be compelled to silence him for making jokes, even if some found them offensive. Investigators have described Kirk’s killer as a 22-year-old with a spectrum of beliefs, and Kirk’s supporters have argued that false characterizations about the shooter’s politics intensified the backlash. The entertainer said he does not expect to change minds but stressed the importance of not equating the incident with political messaging.

The controversy extended beyond Kimmel’s monologue to social media, where Portnoy criticized the return and argued that Kimmel’s framing of the incident as a free-speech issue ignored the reality that he works for a major studio network. Portnoy wrote that if Kimmel had issued an apology the day after his remarks, his suspension might have been avoided, but that he appeared to double down. He emphasized that “this isn’t a free speech issue” and reiterated his point that a network host must answer for offending a large audience when the remarks touch on violence and an individual who mattered to many people.

Kimmel’s comeback did attract mixed reactions. Some Hollywood peers praised the monologue; Ben Stiller called it a “brilliant” opening, while Pod Save America host Jon Favreau described it as “outstanding” and urged viewers to watch, even if they disagree with him. Others weighed in more critically; former CNN contributor Keith Olbermann offered support to Kimmel but also faced online pushback for past remarks. The broader entertainment industry has long wrestled with how late-night hosts address political topics, with supporters arguing that late-night TV should challenge politicians and public figures, and critics contending that humor can cross lines when it involves real-world violence and the victims’ families.

Trump, for his part, escalated the political pressure on the network. On Truth Social, he questioned ABC’s decision to reinstate Kimmel and suggested the program’s audience had declined under its current slate, portraying the host as unfunny and aligned with Democratic politics. He threatened to sue ABC, arguing the network was putting its interests at risk by bringing back a host who had sparked public outcry. The White House’s stance on the matter amplified a broader national debate over what constitutes responsible satire and where lines should be drawn when discussing violence, media personalities, and political figures.

In the entertainment industry’s broader context, Kimmel’s return has underscored the ongoing tension between comedians’ desire to push boundaries and networks’ concerns about advertiser reactions, audience retention, and political optics. The episode also highlighted how social media amplification can intensify scrutiny and shape the reception of a single monologue, with fans and critics alike using the moment to weigh broader questions about free expression, accountability, and power in media today.