‘The View’ Co-Hosts Are Silent Again on Jimmy Kimmel After FCC Chairman Says Anti-Trump Chat Show Could Be Violating the Law

ABC’s morning talk show “The View,” which is known for its regular anti-Trump and anti-MAGA commentary, was silent for a second day in a row on an inside-ABC affair currently top of mind across the country: the suspension of ABC’s late-night star, Jimmy Kimmel.But they did talk about how internet users have ranked their feet.On Wednesday, ABC announced it would “indefinitely” suspend Mr. Kimmel after he said the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” The suspension came two days after he’d made the comments, after two of the largest station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair, said they would preempt the show — announcements that were made after the Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, suggested they should do so.While the all-female panel of “The View” is notorious for sharing unfiltered opinions that often lead to backlash, the cast notably declined to discuss the situation with Mr. Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel is seen making his offensive remark about the MAGA movement and Charlie Kirk on Monday night on his broadcast. DEGDisney is known to keep a tight leash on its talent regarding their public comments on internal matters. This includes ABC News personalities such as “The View” co-hosts. Mr. Kimmel’s suspension has sparked warnings from left-wing journalists and commentators about the future of free speech and broadcast television.On Friday, the co-hosts discussed an excerpt from Vice President Kamala Harris’s upcoming memoir that shared that Governor Tim Walz was not her first choice to be her running mate, and that she wanted Pete Buttigieg but feared it would not be a “winning ticket” because Mr. Buttigieg is openly gay.One co-host, Sunny Hostin, chimed in to say, “I … wish that the vice president had gone with her gut, because I think Pete Buttigieg could’ve been a game changer. But I also know through my lived experience as a black woman in my country that that is what people see first when they see you. … A lot of people see that and they define me by that, and that is unfortunately a fact of life.”The joyful premiere of Season 29 of ‘The View.’ WDABCTGAnother co-host, Joy Behar, responded, “But they did vote for a black guy twice in this country.”The co-hosts later discussed how their feet have been rated on WikiFeet. The remainder of the show focused on celebrity and entertainment news. “The View,” which regularly produces anti-Trump commentary, has reportedly roiled ABC’s parent company, the Walt Disney Company, over concerns that it will draw scrutiny from the Trump administration. Last spring, the president of ABC News, Almin Karamehmedovic, met with the co-hosts of “The View” and suggested that they tone down their rhetoric and focus more on celebrity news instead of politics, the Daily Beast reported. Despite reports of executives wanting to tone down the rhetoric, the co-hosts of “The View” have continued to skewer President Trump and MAGA on a regular basis. The show took a summer break at the end of July and returned earlier this month. The co-hosts of the ABC News program ‘The View.’ TWDCAfter the Kimmel incident, a former executive editor of Ok! Magazine, Rob Shuter, reported in his newsletter that ABC is planning a “major overhaul of The View, dialing down political fireworks in favor of safer lifestyle fare like cooking, fashion, celebrity interviews, and travel.”Specifically, he wrote that the network is planning to get rid of the “Hot Topics” section — a staple of the show for decades — during which the hosts often discuss political news.An “insider” told Mr. Shuter, “They don’t want another Whoopi [Goldberg] or Joy moment that causes a backlash. The thinking is: take out the politics, take out the risk.”The source noted that the co-hosts did not discuss the suspension of their colleague or the concerns raised by left-wing commentators about the free speech implications of the decision or allegations that the Trump administration is silencing its critics. President Biden speaks during a campaign event with President Obama moderated by Jimmy Kimmel, left, at the Peacock Theater, June 15, 2024, at Los Angeles. AP/Alex BrandonHowever, they did discuss politically loaded topics unrelated to ABC, such as the FBI director, Kash Patel, and the federal government’s handling of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. At the end of the segment, the principal co-host, Ms. Goldberg, raised doubts about Mr. Trump’s denials about sending a birthday letter to Epstein.Mr. Trump sued the Wall Street Journal for defamation after it reported he sent Epstein a birthday letter, outlined by a sketch of a woman. Ms. Goldberg asked, “If that’s a forgery, and he’s suing all kinds of other people, why isn’t he suing to find out why someone forged his name?”The silence regarding Mr. Kimmel “wasn’t an accident,” the source told Mr. Shuter, who’s covered daytime and morning TV for many years. “Whoopi and Joy wanted to weigh in — but were told no.”‘The View’ celebrates liberal co-host Sara Haines’s 48th birthday on Friday. DEGMr. Shuter reported that “behind the scenes, tension is boiling.” However, executives believe that the focus on celebrity news will help its viewership. One strategist said, “Politics gets you boycotted. Fashion doesn’t.”The glaring omission of mentions of Mr. Kimmel on “The View” comes as Democrats and left-wing activists have warned that Mr. Kimmel’s suspension will have a “chilling effect” on journalists, comedians, and commentators. Mr. Carr was interviewed by a conservative commentator, Scott Jennings, on Thursday and suggested that his agency might investigate “The View” and other ABC News shows.He noted that the agency has an “equal opportunity rule” that requires that if a broadcast network hosts a candidate for office on a program, it must give the opponent “equal time.” However, he said there is a “bona fide news exception” that provides an exemption from that rule, for which he said late-night shows qualify. He also said “The View” may not qualify for the exception.Joy Behar is pictured as she claims, on the set of ‘The View,’ that President Trump is jealous of President Obama. WDABCTG“I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether ‘The View’ and some of the programs that you have still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place,” Mr. Carr said. ABC declined to comment. Conservatives took to social media on Thursday to suggest that ABC should also pull “The View” off the air after Mr. Kimmel. Mr. Carr has previously suggested that there could be “consequences” for ABC after Ms. Behar claimed that Mr. Trump is “so jealous” of President Obama and his marriage.While “The View” has continued to discuss politics since its return nearly two weeks ago, the co-hosts have been relatively muted, avoiding sparking backlash with outbursts or jabs at Mr. Trump or being forced to read “legal notes” after making false or potentially misleading statements.

‘The View’ Co-Hosts Are Silent Again on Jimmy Kimmel After FCC Chairman Says Anti-Trump Chat Show Could Be Violating the Law

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