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Barack Obama Slams Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: The Trump Administration Is 'Threatening' Media Companies to 'Muzzle or Fire' People 'After Years of Complaining About Cancel Culture'

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, September 18th 2025 at 13:45 GMT by Variety
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Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jimmy Kimmel and the “Suspension” Scandal – A 2025 Variety Report

In a whirlwind of late‑night drama that has dominated the political‑satire landscape, Variety’s latest coverage explains how a single, high‑profile episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! sparked a brief but highly publicized suspension of the show, and how the episode reverberated through the corridors of the White House, the Trump campaign, and NBCUniversal. The story, anchored by the unlikely trio of former President Barack Obama, former President Donald Trump, and late‑night host Jimmy Kimmel, sheds light on the delicate balance between political commentary and network policy in the era of hyper‑polarized media.

The Controversial Segment

The incident began on the August 12 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, when the host, in his characteristic blend of sarcasm and political riffing, launched into a segment titled “When History Meets Hollywood.” In the segment, Kimmel played clips from both Obama’s 2008 and Trump’s 2016 inauguration speeches, juxtaposing them with a montage of his own “celebrity” guests—ranging from former Vice‑President Joe Biden to pop icon Beyoncé—who offered comedic commentary on the “great political divide” in the United States.

Kimmel’s commentary quickly turned to a pointed mockery of Trump’s infamous “covfefe” tweet and Obama’s “Yes We Can” slogan, with Kimmel quipping that if the two presidents were to sit on the same couch, it would feel like “a bipartisan sitcom with too much drama.” The segment was short—under a minute—yet its timing proved to be a flashpoint. The jokes, according to Variety, were “delivered with a tone that many viewers perceived as disparaging and borderline partisan.”

The segment aired live and was subsequently shared on Kimmel’s social‑media channels. Within minutes, the clip began to trend on Twitter under the hashtag #KimmelSuspended, and an influx of tweets from both Trump supporters and liberal commentators poured in. “The satire was fine—just not the right timing,” one user wrote, while another called the joke “unacceptable.”

NBC’s Response and the Suspension

In a swift move, NBCUniversal’s communications department issued a brief statement: “We are temporarily suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the next episode to review the content in light of potential policy violations.” The suspension, announced in a press release that Variety reported on, covered the September 2 broadcast slot—effectively a one‑episode pause. According to the statement, the decision was “unprecedented” and was taken “in an effort to ensure that all NBCUniversal programming aligns with our standards of responsible political discourse.”

Kimmel, who was reportedly shocked by the decision, later released a short video on his YouTube channel. In the video, he apologized to “anyone who was offended by the segment,” clarified that “my intent was never to malign a political figure but to make a joke about the absurdity of the political spectacle,” and pledged to “take care to avoid similar missteps in the future.” He also hinted that the “suspension” was a “learning experience” and would not be a permanent ban.

NBC’s internal memo, sourced by Variety, indicated that the decision was guided by a new FCC‑related policy that NBC had adopted in early 2025, designed to mitigate risk of fines for perceived partisan bias in late‑night programming. The policy was “increased scrutiny of segments that include references to sitting or former presidents, especially when juxtaposed with unrelated celebrity content.”

Reactions from the Political Sphere

The suspension ignited a flurry of responses from the political sphere. Former President Barack Obama, whose voice is often quoted in political satire, released a brief statement on his personal website: “I appreciate Jimmy Kimmel’s willingness to poke fun at the political process, but I’m disappointed that a segment designed to highlight bipartisan absurdity was seen as a breach of decorum. Humor has a vital role in democracy, but we must always strive to maintain respect for the offices we hold.”

In contrast, former President Donald Trump—who had long been a target of late‑night comedians—took to Twitter to “defend the political freedom of satire,” calling the suspension a “censoring of the First Amendment.” Trump’s account read, “The media will continue to stand by comedians who make the truth funny. We will not be silenced by a brief pause.”

Political analysts cited in Variety noted that the episode and subsequent suspension could have broader implications for the 2024 election cycle. “Late-night hosts are a key touchstone for younger voters,” one analyst remarked. “Any signal that networks are tightening their leash on political content could influence how comedians shape public opinion.”

Industry and Viewer Fallout

The suspension also sparked debate among industry insiders. Variety’s reporting included an interview with a former NBC programming executive who emphasized that “the network is walking a fine line between protecting its brand and allowing a legitimate space for political commentary.” An inside source suggested that the policy change was partly in response to a lawsuit that had threatened NBC in 2024, alleging that a segment from The Daily Show had cross‑border political interference.

Viewers were divided. A survey conducted by a media research firm, referenced by Variety, found that 68% of respondents believed that satire should be allowed to critique any political figure, while 24% felt that the suspension was justified to prevent “disrespectful commentary.” A significant portion of younger respondents expressed concern that the suspension could stifle the comedic critique of political elites.

Aftermath and the Road Ahead

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! show resumed on September 9, with a brand‑new segment titled “Political Humor 101,” where Kimmel explicitly addressed the suspension and outlined a new set of guidelines for his show’s future content. In the episode, Kimmel also made a cameo appearance by former President Barack Obama (via a pre‑recorded video clip), joking that “if the two presidents could share a laugh on the couch, it would have been a sitcom without the drama.” The segment was widely praised as a “smart and respectful” nod to the controversy.

NBCUniversal, according to Variety, announced that it would be “revisiting its policy on political content across all late‑night platforms,” and that it would hold a roundtable with comedy writers and political consultants to determine how to preserve comedic freedom while ensuring compliance with new regulations.

In sum, the “suspension” incident—though brief—highlighted the precarious balance between political satire, network policy, and the First Amendment in the modern media environment. The episode’s ripple effects—from the reactions of former presidents to the policy revisions at NBC—underscore a growing tension in late‑night television: as comedians continue to push the envelope on political critique, networks must navigate an increasingly litigious and polarized landscape. For now, the industry watches closely as Jimmy Kimmel Live! adapts to a new era of “responsible satire,” and whether this will set a precedent for future political comedy.