Jon Stewart Jimmy's Hiatus Was Totally Not About Censorship!!!

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Jon Stewart cracked a joke about Jimmy Kimmel's return to ABC while taking aim at the FCC's threat to the network that coincidentally -- or not -- occurred just before "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was yanked from the air.

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DON'T BE SO NAIVE...

Check out this clip from Monday's 'Daily Show' ... Jon says he's shocked Jimmy's show is returning, considering he was told the FCC's threat to ABC -- that they could "do this the easy way or the hard way" -- had nothing to do with the show's now short-lived hiatus.

Instead, he quipped, with a ton of sarcasm ... "We just randomly remove one show a week!"

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JIMMY'S BIG RETURN

Jimmy Kimmel Return Won't Be Seen On All ABC Stations ... Sinclair Won't Air 'Live!'

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Update

9/23 8:10 AM PT -- Nexstar Media Group is joining Sinclair in continuing to preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely, the company said in a statement on their website.

Jimmy Kimmel is getting back on the air after a brief suspension, but not everyone will be able to see him on ABC when "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" returns Tuesday ... because a major broadcast company is holding out.

Sinclair, which owns a ton of ABC affiliates across the country, says ... "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming."

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JIMMY'S BIG RETURN

It sounds like Jimmy could still make his eventual return to ABC affiliates under the Sinclair umbrella ... the company adds, "Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return."

Jimmy Kimmel I'm Back on ABC

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Jimmy Kimmel's suspension is coming to an end.

His late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" will return to ABC on Tuesday night.

The Walt Disney Company tells TMZ in a statement Monday ... "Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday."

Sacramento ABC Station Shooting FBI Says Suspect Left Note Referring to Epstein

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The FBI says a Sacramento man accused of opening fire on a local TV station Friday left behind chilling handwritten notes ... including one directly threatening well-known political figures.

According to the feds, agents searching Anibal Hernandez Santana's home and car found two disturbing messages. In his house, tacked to a refrigerator planner under the Friday listing, was the line: "Do the Next Scary Thing."

Even more alarming ... inside his car was a note that read: "For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondi. They're next. – C.K. from above."

Whoopi Goldberg & 'The View' We Weren't Silenced ... We're Gonna Talk About Kimmel!!!

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Whoopi Goldberg set the record straight on "The View" ... saying loud and clear the show wasn't silenced when it came to talking about Jimmy Kimmel's suspension.

"Did y'all really think we weren't going to talk about Jimmy Kimmel? I mean, have you watched the show over the last 29 seasons? No one silences us," Goldberg said at the top of Monday's show, addressing the chatter around ABC's move to bench "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" last week.

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R.I.P. FIRST AMENDMENT???

Following the suspension announcement, there was speculation the daytime talk show had been muzzled after staying quiet when the news broke. Goldberg explained the show's decision to wait it out, saying, "When the news broke last week about Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, we took a breath to see if Jimmy was going to say anything about it first." She said the show did the same thing when CBS announced "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" was on the chopping block.

John Oliver on Jimmy Kimmel Bob Iger, ABC Are Cowards!!!

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STAND UP TO THE BULLIES

John Oliver minced no words reacting to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show by ABC on "Last Week Tonight" ... calling ABC and Disney CEO Bob Iger a bunch of "cowards."

Check out the clip from Sunday's show -- he rails at Bob when speaking about how he believes the current administration will be remembered unfavorably in the history books ... predicting companies allowing Donald Trump and his associates steamroll them will look even worse.

He says ABC and Bob "definitely know better but still let things happen," and likens Jimmy's suspension to letting a bully take your lunch money. He explains the bully is never happy ... he will just come back hungrier for more.

Jay Leno Kimmel Will Be Back On the Air ... 'Somewhere'

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HE'LL BE BACK... SOMEPLACE...

Jay Leno's not too worried about Jimmy Kimmel after 'Live!' was suspended indefinitely by ABC over his comments about Charlie Kirk's murder ... telling TMZ he'll be back on air "somewhere."

Check out the clip ... he was seen out in Los Angeles over the weekend, and while he played hard to get at first ... he eventually said he stands by Jimmy and says he'll certainly find a place back on our screens at some point, "somewhere."

Jay also brushes off the backlash Jimmy's getting for comments about the man accused of killing Charlie being conservative, explaining Kimmel didn't say anything that hadn't already been said.

Olivia Rodrigo On Jimmy Kimmel Get Him Back On Air!!!

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Olivia Rodrigo is upset by Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC ... and she says it's an example of "blatant censorship and abuse of power."

The "get him back!" singer just weighed in on Disney taking Jimmy off the air for his controversial Charlie Kirk comments ... and she says she stands with the late-night host and freedom of speech.

Check out Olivia's comments -- she reposted a SAG-AFTRA statement defending Jimmy and added her thoughts in an Instagram story shared Saturday.

ABC Arrest Made In Local News Station Shooting

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Well, that didn't take long -- shortly after bullets ripped through a local ABC news station in California's capital ... cops made an arrest.

Police in Sacramento tell TMZ ... 64-year-old Anibal Hernandezsantana is the alleged shooter ... and he's been arrested and slapped with three felony charges.

Cops say Hernandezsantana is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied building and negligent discharge of a firearm.

ABC Bullets Rip Through Local News Station In Sacramento

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Three bullets pierced through a local ABC news station in California's capital ... and people were inside working when the shooter opened fire.

Cops in Sacramento say someone shot up the ABC10 news station downtown Friday afternoon ... with police responding to reports of shots being fired just after 1:30 PM ... and footage shows three bullet holes in one of the building's windows.

Journalists were working inside the building when the bullets came bursting through ... but incredibly, no one was injured.

Donald Trump FCC Chairman Is an 'American Patriot!'

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President Donald Trump has nothing but praises to sing for FCC Chair Brendan Carr after Carr pressured ABC, leading to the network's indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show following the host's remarks about Charlie Kirk's shooting suspect.

Check out Trump's chat with reporters in the White House Oval Office Friday ... he's exuding pride as he calls Carr an "incredible American patriot with courage."

He then takes a dig at unnamed networks for being dishonest, bringing up "the old days" when networks would need to get relicensed each year -- and only could do so by showing "honesty and integrity." The Federal Communications Commission currently renews licenses on 8-year terms.

Ex-Disney CEO Michael Eisner Mouse House Cowers To Bully ... Blasts Kimmel Suspension

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Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner is blasting the Mouse House and current CEO Bob Iger for taking Jimmy Kimmel off the air ... and he's got one question ... "Where has all the leadership gone?"

Eisner, who left his role as Disney CEO two decades ago, sounded off on the Kimmel situation Friday on social media and appeared to take a swipe at his successor.

He posted on X ... "If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the first amendment? The 'suspending indefinitely' of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC's aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation."

Jimmy Kimmel Smile for the Cameras!!! TV Host Looks Happy After Show Yanked

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Jimmy Kimmel isn't letting his show's suspension rain on his parade -- he was seen smilin' wide as he stepped out of his car in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon.

Perhaps his fellow late-night show hosts having his back has him feeling extra loved after ABC swiftly booted 'Live!' off the air following pressure from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who threatened to "take action" following Jimmy's remarks about Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter and his political affiliation.

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NO CENSORSHIP HERE!!!

As we reported ... many of Jimmy's Hollywood colleagues have spoken out to defend him, with Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert all criticizing the move on their respective shows.

Jon Stewart FAKES BENDING THE KNEE TO TRUMP ... After Kimmel Suspension

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READ THE CONSTITUTION!!!

Jon Stewart is using heavy sarcasm to rip into Donald Trump ... this on the heels of Jimmy Kimmel getting suspended by ABC over his remarks about Charlie Kirk's killer.

"The Daily Show" host made an unusual appearance on the show Thursday -- he's typically only behind the desk on Mondays -- as the show rolled out a complete makeover, poking fun at the president.

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R.I.P. FIRST AMENDMENT???

Before Stewart appears in a Trump-like outfit against a golden decor backdrop ... the show's announcer says, "From Comedy Central, it’s the all-new government-approved ‘Daily Show’ with your patriotically obedient host, Jon Stewart."

Jimmy Kimmel Fallon, Colbert, Meyers React to Kimmel Suspension

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Network late-light hosts are rallying behind Jimmy Kimmel after his ABC suspension ... tackling the controversy in their Thursday night monologues.

'Tonight Show' host Jimmy Fallon -- who Trump's rooting to get fired next -- jokes ABC getting pressured by the FCC to suspend Kimmel has left everyone thinking, "WTF."

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NO CENSORSHIP HERE!!!

Fallon quips his father texted him a bunch, sending condolences that his show got canceled -- mistakenly, since they share the same first name. But then he gets earnest, saying he has no idea what's going on ... calling Kimmel "a decent, funny and loving guy" and hoping he makes a comeback.

Stephen Colbert On Jimmy Kimmel ABC Suspension Is Blatant Censorship ... Trump's an Autocrat!!!

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Stephen Colbert is rushing to Jimmy Kimmel's defense ... and taking another shot at President Trump.

Colbert reacts to ABC indefinitely yanking Kimmel's show off the air in Thursday's episode of his own late-night talk show ... according to CNBC ... blasting the Kimmel suspension as "blatant censorship."

Stephen laid the blame with Trump, saying ... "With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch."