White House ridicules Joy Behar for defending Jimmy Kimmel, cites ratings in late-night dispute
Administration calls Behar 'Joyless Behar' in response to her support for Kimmel; says suspension was a private‑sector decision tied to ratings, not free speech; Kimmel’s return drew strong viewership.
The White House ridiculed The View host Joy Behar after she defended Jimmy Kimmel over his suspension, calling her “Joyless Behar” in a statement provided to Entertainment Weekly. Behar, during Wednesday’s Sept. 24 broadcast, argued that autocrats and dictators go after comedians because they tell the truth, make viewers laugh, and the jokes resonate with people.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Behar is wrong about many things, and stressed that Kimmel’s ABC suspension over his remarks about the late Charlie Kirk “has nothing to do with free speech.” Jackson said the decision was made by a private company and that ABC is under no obligation to keep an unpopular show on the air simply to avoid losing money. “Jimmy Kimmel’s terrible product isn’t a free speech problem; it’s a talent problem,” she added, and she also quipped that Behar is likely “worried about her own garbage ratings.”
The controversy extended beyond Washington, as former President Donald Trump joined the conversation on social media, posting ahead of Kimmel’s return that “Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.” The comments underscored how late-night fare has become the subject of partisan debate even as entertainment executives contend with the economics of cable and streaming.
Kimmel’s return to ABC after the suspension was followed by a ratings uptick for Jimmy Kimmel Live. The first episode back drew about 6.26 million viewers, a ten-year high for the late-night show, according to ABC data. The surge fuels ongoing questions about whether late-night hosts have sufficient cultural impact to withstand public scrutiny when their jokes touch on politically sensitive topics.
The View, which airs weekday mornings on ABC, remains a nerve center for political talk and satire, and Behar’s defense of Kimmel highlighted the broader public conversation about free expression, accountability, and the responsibilities of media platforms. The White House’s public response on the matter has put a spotlight on how the administration navigates criticism of entertainers who address political subjects, and how private networks balance creative freedom with audience and advertiser considerations.
As Kimmel’s high-return episode demonstrates the potential carve-out for writers and hosts willing to engage robustly with political topics, observers note that the broader late-night landscape continues to evolve. While Behar framed the issue as a test of whether comedians can speak truth to power, the administration’s response framed it as a business decision underscoring the practical realities of operating a televised program in a crowded media ecosystem. The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.