Jason Bateman believes that ABC’s dramatic suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! will ignite a movement of retaliation as he declared ‘you just can’t stand by.’
On Wednesday night, it was announced that the comedian’s late night talk show has been pulled off the air ‘indefinitely’ by the network after his comments about the ass@ssination of Charlie Kirk.
Since then, many across the country have been panicked about what the move means for freedom of speech.
Joining Craig Melvin on NBC’s the Today show on Thursday, Hollywood actor Bateman, 56, was asked for his response to the news.
‘Well, it’s troubling to say the least,’ the A-list star said. ‘And we all have to really take a moment and figure how we feel about this type of thing.
‘Especially, people doing what you do.
‘I’m sure there’s going to be some sort of collective move to respond to this, but I’m not smart enough or powerful enough to be the one to do it but I imagine there’s plenty of conversations going on to do something, because you just can’t stand by and let stuff like that go on.’
Melvin, 46, then probed: ‘Stuff like?’
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Jason Bateman has weighed in on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show being suspended ‘indefinitely’
Kimmel’s show has been pulled by the network after his comments about Charlie Kirk
‘Well, Jimmy getting his show pulled for freedom of speech,’ Bateman returned.
Melvin then moved the conversation on.
Bateman joins a legion of Hollywood celebrities who have rushed to defend Kimmel, who was taken off the air because of comments he made in his Monday night monologue.
During the controversial episode, Kimmel said: ‘The Maga Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who m::urdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.’
The late-night host also poked fun at President Donald Trump’s reaction to the sh00ting.
‘This is not how an adult grieves the m::urder of someone he calls a friend,’ he said. ‘This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.’
Shortly after ABC announced Kimmel had been suspended, Trump said: ‘The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.
Bateman warned Today show viewers that they ‘just can’t stand by and let stuff like that go on’
The Hollywood actor sat down with Craig Melvin on Thursday to share his view
‘Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.’
Following the fallout, ex-MSNBC star Keith Olbermann said Kirk should ‘burn in hell’ after ABC suspended Kimmel.
Olbermann blasted Kirk in a post on X, days after also blaming Donald Trump for Kirk’s m::urder on his Countdown podcast, saying: ‘Charlie Kirk di3d because he lived in Donald Trump’s America.’
Kirk was sh0t d3ad last week at Utah Valley University aged 31.
The suspected sh00ter Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared in court on Tuesday on multiple charges, including aggravated m::urder.
During the court appearance, prosecutors also noted they have filed a protective order preventing Robinson from approaching Erika Kirk, Kirk’s wife, and said they are seeking the d3ath penalty.
The suspect was seen repeatedly looking down, as he sat at the county jail wearing a green jumpsuit.
Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann wrote a scathing post about Kirk and Sinclair Broadcasting regarding the decision to remove Kimmel’s show
He spoke only once, to confirm his identity and sat stoically as the judge read the seven counts he faces – including the capital m::urder charge that could see him executed by firing squad.
Alongside Bateman, several stars have pushed back against the decision to suspend Kimmel, with Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Stiller, Henry Winkler and Alison Brie joining the ranks in opposition.
Ben Stiller jumped over to X to repost the news of ABC taking Kimmel off air and typed out: ‘This isn’t right.’
Singer John Legend shared a post by David Frum which read: ‘How dare you call us fascists just because our appointees threaten government retaliation against broadcast networks if their comedians don’t say what we want them to say.’
Political commentator and MSNBC host Chris Hayes tweeted: ‘This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.’
