The Cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

by Rachel Barter ’27 on September 25, 2025

Opinion

A Systematic Attack on Freedom of Speech

Recently in the United States, we have seen a vast number of attacks on freedom of speech from both political parties, most notably regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier this month and the cancellation of both The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and, most recently, Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Understandably so, Republicans and Democrats were both disgusted by the killing of Kirk and the attack on his freedom of speech, which was key to his career as a Republican advocate and debater. However, Democrats seem to be the only people to be disgusted by the cancellations of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as well as other attacks on Democrats’ freedom of speech.

In fact, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was cancelled because Kimmel made comments regarding conservatives’ responses to Kirk’s death and the investigation that followed. Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Kimmel’s comment was likely referring to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s comments that the suspect, Tyler Robinson, had a “leftist ideology” and had also been in a romantic relationship with his roommate and alleged partner, who was in the process of transitioning from male to female. Cox’s inclusion of these comments makes me agree with Kimmel that investigators appear to be desperately trying to pin Kirk’s death on an out-of-control Democrat motivated by his alleged tie to the trans community, which demonstrates Republicans’ willingness to stretch the narrative to find a connection to the trans community.

It is also important to note Governor Cox made these remarks despite the reality that Robinson is a native Utah resident, is not registered to any political party, and grew up with conservative parents in St. George, a fast-growing conservative city defined by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus, Kimmel’s comment did not attack Kirk at all; instead, it questioned the bias regarding the investigation of Kirk’s alleged shooter.

Whether I agree with Kimmel or not, I believe it is not appropriate to silence his speech. Just as the overwhelming conservative response to Kirk’s death demonstrated how many people think of gun violence as bad only when it affects someone they agree with and care about, the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live! highlights how some conservatives condone attacks on freedom of speech when it benefits them and their party. Furthermore, please note ABC decided to pull the program after an unusually threatening comment was made by the Federal Communications Commission’s chair.

The First Amendment is supposed to apply to all citizens of the United States, regardless of their political views and who they would like to criticize, including the President of the United States. It was not meant to be revoked when public figures say things attacking the government or certain political parties. Hence, the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, despite how short it may have been, is extremely important; these two events are instances of our current administration taking creative liberty with the First Amendment by pressuring television networks to conform to the liking and opinions of President Donald Trump.

Additionally, it is essential that we, as college students, acknowledge these systematic attacks on freedom of speech and strive to combat them to preserve our right to free expression, which is not only crucial to our day-to-day lives but also vital for our education and the ability to have a well-rounded and informed understanding.

Free Speech Under Attack

by Kaelynd Brouillette ’29 on September 18, 2025

Opinion

Nationally and On Campus

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, the illusion of free speech in America was shattered. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist whose messaging was aimed at the youth of America, was shot and ultimately killed in what I deem a political assassination. Many disagreed with Kirk’s strong and sometimes controversial opinions, but in no way does that mean he should have died because of them. Not only was this event a tragedy, but it was also a turning point for America and for how we think about speech and political disagreement.

For all the weight we give the First Amendment, it feels less like a guarantee of free speech and more like a guarantee of conflict and violence. This is not just about one man, but rather about whether college campuses can be considered safe places for debate and disagreement. College campuses are historically supposed to be institutions that allow free thought to flourish, and spaces where students can express ideas, hear perspectives they disagree with, and form independent opinions based on their perceptions.

Reality on campus, and in society in general, is much messier. Many students claim they believe in free speech, but when met with controversial views, the instinct is to “cancel” them, which effectively suppresses our freedom. Social media acts as a catalyst for this problem. Platforms popularly used on college campuses, such as YikYak, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter), turn disagreement into mob shaming where free speech is not met with dialogue but with hostility and ridicule.

The Kirk incident forces us to ponder a deeper question: what happens when words are no longer met with words, but with intimidation, threats, and even outward violence? On college campuses, free speech now carries a price tag, ranging from at best, backlash, to at worst, life itself. The fact is, PC is not immune.

While our campus may not face violence on the scale of the Kirk assassination, the underlying problem is still here, simmering beneath the surface. Apps like YikYak, which thrive on anonymity, create spaces where hostility and hate can spread unchecked. Instead of encouraging honest debate, they often promote mockery, hate, and dehumanization. I’ve seen firsthand how, in the context of Kirk’s death, conversations on our campus have not always leaned towards respectful disagreement, but rather snide comments and outright hate. This doesn’t just poison our school community, it undermines the very freedom of speech we claim to value. If we want PC to be a place where free thought can flourish, then we cannot afford to dismiss this culture as harmless online venting or say that these snide comments are normal.

The death of Kirk is a national tragedy, but the lessons it forces upon us cannot only be heard at a national level. Free speech isn’t some lofty ideal we only talk about in theory, but rather something that plays out day after day in our classrooms, our group chats, and on social media. The right to free speech means nothing if our culture punishes anyone who dares to use it. Here at PC, we cannot pretend we’re immune.