Poll finds most voters link Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension to his Charlie Kirk comments, support return

Only 29% of voters surveyed opposed ABC’s decision to reinstate Kimmel while the vast majority, 62%, supported his return.

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: September 28, 2025 9:23am

Updated: September 28, 2025 9:42am

A new survey highlights public perceptions around Jimmy Kimmel’s temporary suspension from ABC, with the majority of respondents attributing the decision to his statements about the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Most respondents supported his return to air, according to the Napolitan News survey conducted by veteran pollster Scott Rasmussen.

When asked why Kimmel was suspended, 60% said it was because of his remarks about Kirk. Another 27% said it was primarily due to the comments of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman.

Only 29% of voters surveyed opposed ABC’s decision to reinstate Kimmel. The vast majority, 62%, supported his return.

Just 28% of voters said the FCC chairman’s comments on the controversy were appropriate, while 52% viewed them as an abuse of government power.

Among people who discuss politics daily, 47% described the chairman's remarks as appropriate.

In every other group, voters said the comments were inappropriate by a wide margin.