Jimmy Kimmel’s show suspension sparks debate of ‘free speech’

Jimmy Kimmel’s show suspension was dubbed as taking power of free speech.

The restoration of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC has sparked a heated debate over free speech, media independence, and the significant role American talk show hosts play in shaping the country’s politics.

However, the decision has been met with relief from fans and fellow comedians in the US, international observers have taken a more serious tone, viewing the suspension as a warning sign for the erosion of press freedom.

Unlike their American counterparts, European comedians and satirists have a different approach to tackling politics and social issues.

Jan Böhmermann in Germany, El Gran Wyoming in Spain, Yann Barthès in France, Maurizio Crozza in Italy, and Arjen Lubach in the Netherlands all share similarities with American late-night hosts, but none have the same level of influence.

In Britain, political humour is often confined to weekly panel shows like Have I Got News For You, which can be sharp and incisive but rarely shift the political dial.

Böhmermann quipped on his show, “We’re too small to cancel!” highlighting the differences in media landscapes between Europe and the US. Germany’s journalists’ union took a more serious stance, calling the suspension “evidence of an erosion in press freedom” and urging US broadcasters to resist political pressure.

The reaction from European media outlets was swift and critical. El Gran Wyoming mocked the decision with heavy irony, saying, “One less communist speaking nonsense on television… America is moving in the right direction, those damned loser communist pigs can already go look for a real job.”

France’s Quotidien and leading newspapers linked the decision to Trump’s influence over the FCC and Disney’s corporate interests.

Italy’s Corriere della Sera called the suspension “a summary of almost all of America’s problems,” while La Repubblica branded it censorship. Germany’s Der Spiegel warned of “a systematic attack on freedom of expression” with global implications.

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