The Destruction of Jimmy Kimmel

Why independent media matters more than ever

Before we get into it: if you’re receiving this via email, thank you. You’re already subscribed. If you’re not, now is the time.

So, what just happened? Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been suspended indefinitely. Yes, Jimmy Kimmel, the late-night host who’s been on ABC for over two decades. The reason wasn’t bad ratings or a public scandal, it was because of something he said.

During his monologue on Monday, Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from and in between the finger pointing.” and then played a clip of Trump seemingly unfazed when asked about the death of his friend, Charlie Kirk.

The chairman of the FCC then took to Benny Johnson’s podcast on Wed. Sept 17 to criticize Kimmel, ABC, and Disney which is ABC’s parent company. What followed is a chilling reminder of how quickly the federal government is able to squash criticism under this current administration. CBS announced the immediate suspension of Kimmel’s show the same day that the Benny Johnson episode aired.

I recently wrote a Substack piece about Benny Johnson and his suspicious rise on YouTube. So it’s not lost on me that his podcast is where the FCC chair chose to launch his attack.

Welcome to their cancel culture.

We’ve seen this playbook before. It’s the same tactic that led to CBS cancelling Stephen Colbert after he dared to point out a Trump-connected settlement with CBS’s parent company. It’s not about entertainment, it’s about silencing critics.

The message to the rest of the media is clear: criticize Trump and you might be next.

This is exactly why independent media matters.

The David Pakman Show is directly supported by viewers and listeners like you. That means there’s no network to “pull the plug.” No corporate sponsor to suddenly ghost us because of a pressure campaign. No executive suite forced to choose between truth-telling and an FCC-approved merger.

Sure, they can still try to sue us, silence us, or even revoke my naturalized citizenship. But we don’t answer to billion-dollar boardrooms.

We answer to you.

If you’ve ever thought, “I just want someone to keep saying what needs to be said,” that’s us. But we can’t keep doing it without your support.

We’re reaching over 100 million people every month across YouTube, podcasts, Substack, and beyond. But algorithms can change. Platforms can fold. And when that happens, this newsletter is how we stay connected.

If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, please consider joining.
If you’re already paid on one platform, consider supporting us on both Substack and our website.

You can subscribe on our website and right here on Substack.

And if you’re really on fire, consider gifting a subscription—we’ve got thousands on our waiting list ready to read, watch, and fight back.

MAGA cancel culture is real—and it’s coming for the press. But they can’t cancel what they don’t control.

Let’s keep building.

—David

PS: Can’t contribute right now? No problem. You can support us for free by subscribing on YouTube, listening to our audio podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or become a free subscriber to this very Substack. Every bit counts.