Best Of

Some sanity from Ted Cruz:

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/09/19/congress/cruz-calls-out-fcc-for-taking-down-jimmy-kimmel-00573159

Sen. Ted Cruz on his podcast Friday admonished Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr for demanding ABC suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show over comments regarding Charlie Kirk — calling Carr’s actions “dangerous as hell” and “right out of ‘Goodfellas.’”

“If the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said; we’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like’ — that will end up bad for conservatives,” said the Texas Republican.

And while Cruz said he liked Carr and was “thrilled” to see Kimmel’s show taken off the air, he cautioned that leveraging the FCC’s power to punish certain speech creates a concerning precedent that could leave conservatives vulnerable in a future Democratic administration.

“They will silence us,” said Cruz. “They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly.”

The comments are notable coming from Cruz – both as a loyalist of President Donald Trump and as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has oversight authority over the FCC.

I think it goes without saying (but just in case it doesn't) that every rational person agrees that you have a right to free speech, but you don't have a right to a job if you say something out of line. I just wish it wouldn't happen, both for someone like him and someone like Shane Gillis or Dave Chapelle. I wish people would be consistent in their beliefs about issues regardless of which party supports or opposes it, as opposed to just rooting for their side to win, by any means necessary.

If a democrat thinks Dave Chapelle should have been pulled off the air for his comments on trans people, but thinks this Jimmy Kimmel situation is "facism", then I view that person as hypocritical.

If a republican thinks Dave Chapelle should still be on TV, or that Shane Gillis shouldn't have been fired from SNL, but Jimmy Kimmel deserved it, I view that person as hypocritical.

What I think doesn't matter though, I'm just whining on the internet. It all comes down to money in the end. This cancelling didn't happen because of ideology, it happened because a local broadcasting conglomerate is trying to merge with another conglomerate. If that merger is going to get approved, the FCC needs to change their rules to allow this new mega conglomerate to own a higher percentage of total over the air broadcast stations than is currently allowed. Nexstar, the company that first pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air, isn't doing this for any moral reason, it's just money. They're buttering up to the administration.

Local news article from a month ago about the merger:

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2025/08/why-the-nexstar-tegna-merger-matters-in-cleveland.html

As is typical, we may not have enough information to accurately assess what we see on the surface.

From the article by PBS;
"Ahead of ABC’s suspension, broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair had said they would be pulling Kimmel’s show from their affiliated stations. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had also warned that the network and its local affiliates could face repercussions if Kimmel was not punished."

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/4-things-to-know-about-abcs-suspension-of-jimmy-kimmels-late-night-show#:~:text=Ahead of ABC's suspension, broadcasters,if Kimmel was not punished.

A possible backstory: Nextar and Sinclair had some kind of merger deal in place worth billions that needed FCC approval. The FCC chairman says behind the curtain, "You get rid of Kimmel, and we'll get your deal done." CBS (and/or whoever stood to profit from the merger thing says, "Why not? The show's ratings are down, and we're losing money on it." And the White House gets to puff out its chest and tell its base, "Look at us! We have the power to squelch Lefties!".

I have no idea what actually happened, but the extenuating circumstances tell me it wasn't as cut and dried as it looks.

We've been kept blind by the people who actually run the world for so long anyway.

Is that a basement or below ground room?

@CalvinAndHobo said:

@Amos_Umwhat said:

@silvermouse said:
President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that the federal government might revoke the licenses of broadcast television networks that are "against" him.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-fcc-carr.html

I don't like it, if that's really the suggestion. Not at all.

I am surprised at what some consider to be a right to free speech, however. Notably, the very same people who celebrated Charlie Kirk being murdered in front of his family for exercising his right to free speech by speaking undeniable facts in a public forum, are suddenly all tore up over Jimmy Kimmel being fired for spreading disinformation over public media.

Seems a little hypocritical, doesn't it?

Yes, it does. I also think it's hypocritical of some on the right to demand the firings of people like Jimmy Kimmel, after complaining about cancel culture constantly. No one actually believes anything anymore based on principle, it's all about D vs R.

I was wondering whether any of the conservatives in here were going to say anything about Kimmel. I wasn't sure whether they'd be happy, or whether they'd call it what it is, cancel culture. I doubt you feel this way Steve, but is there anyone here who wants to make a case for why cancel culture is bad, but Jimmy Kimmel getting cancelled is good? I promise to not come after you like other people enjoy doing, I just want to hear the case for it.

I didn't hear anyone call for the cancellation if Jimmy Kimmel (but correct me if I'm wrong, with sources ) ). The first I heard about it, it was a done deal, and the show had already been pulled, a mere one day after his statements, I think.

I think the conservative glee over the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel is a verification of what has been said by conservatives all along "It is wrong to cancel people for their political beliefs and speech." It is still wrong, but it is also always nice to see the dog that has attempted to terrorize people at the beck of it's master, turn and rend the master once in a while. This is the beast that leftists have created and used often, and, per usual, at some point the beast takes on its own life, and will turn on its creator.

I just find it funny that after a couple decades of the left "canceling" anybody who dares disagree with them, one or two leftists get canceled and people find it inappropriate.