Disney-owned ABC announced the decision to stop the talk show on Wednesday evening local time, after the host commented on the suspected murderer of right-wing profile Charlie Kirk in "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".
"Good news for the USA", wrote US President Donald Trump.
Sinclair, which owns a large share of local TV stations, wants to broadcast a special program in memory of Charlie Kirk instead of Kimmel's talk show. The company also urges Kimmel to apologize to Kirk's family - and to donate money to both Kirk's family and to the conservative student organization Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded.
On social media, a number of actors and comedians are now protesting. "This is not right", says actor Ben Stiller, while actor Alex Edelman writes: "This is the real cancel culture that everyone claims to hate so much", reports Deadline.
Wanda Sykes commented sarcastically that Trump has neither ended the war in Ukraine nor solved the situation in Gaza. "But he stopped freedom of speech during his first year".
Michael Keaton shared a handwritten note with the words: "ABC, NBC, CBS, stand up!!! Stand up for hell's sake!!!" and Michael Kosta from Daily Show posted on social media: "This is a serious moment in American history. The TV channels must fight back."
Kimmel hinted in Monday's broadcast that Kirk's suspected murderer Tyler Robinson could be a Trump supporter.
