Jennifer Aniston has publicly condemned what she describes as the "dangerous" suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show by ABC, speaking out in a recent interview with Elle magazine as part of its "Women in Hollywood" cover series.
The Controversial Suspension
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled from airwaves for several days in September following the host's criticism of right-wing responses to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension came after pressure from Brendan Carr, President Donald Trump's appointee to the Federal Communications Commission, though Aniston never mentioned Trump during her conversation published Wednesday.
The "Friends" star emphasized the significance of viewer power in such situations. "Unthinkable things are happening," Aniston told the outlet. "It's very dangerous and very unfortunate. But at the end of the day, we're the viewers. We subscribe to these networks and streaming services, so it really comes down to the people and their voices."
Viewer Backlash and Industry Response
Aniston pointed to the significant public reaction against the suspension, noting that cancellation rates skyrocketed for Disney+ and Hulu - two major streaming services owned by ABC's parent company, Disney. The widespread outcry included hundreds of celebrities joining the protest against the network's decision.
"All those subscription cancellations spoke volumes," Aniston observed, highlighting how consumer actions can influence corporate decisions in the entertainment industry.
The suspension was ultimately lifted within days after what Disney described in a statement as "thoughtful conversations." However, Nexstar, the largest television owner in the country, announced at the time that it would continue to preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on its stations.
Broader Concerns About Media Discourse
Aniston expressed deeper concerns about the current state of public discourse and media communication. "We all need to listen to both sides," she told Elle. "That's what we've lost."
She continued, "We've lost communication, we've lost sitting across the table and having a discussion that is productive, learning from each other." The actress lamented that "It feels like everyone is sort of stuck in their positions and it's my way or the highway, and that's just not how the world works."
The timing of Aniston's comments coincides with significant policy discussions in media regulation. A group of former FCC chairs called Thursday for the agency to abolish its "news distortion" policy, arguing it has been "weaponized to chill press freedom" rather than serving its intended purpose of punishing broadcasters found to have "deliberately distorted" the news.
Nonprofit organization Protect Democracy, among the petitioners, specifically cited the policy's use to suspend Kimmel. The group pointed to Carr's invocation of the policy "to threaten ABC and Disney for airing late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's commentary about Charlie Kirk's murder — a clear example of how the policy enables government officials to target outlets for perceived critical coverage."
Aniston's relationship with Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney, who serves as executive producer of the show, spans many years. The actress also appeared to show political alignment last year when she seemingly encouraged her Instagram followers to vote for then-Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
