Bill Maher joins MAGA in saying Jimmy Kimmel is ‘wrong’ on Charlie Kirk but defends his right to speak

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Bill Maher shared his take on the ongoing Jimmy Kimmel controversy on the Friday, September 19 episode of 'Real Time With Bill Maher', saying his fellow late-night host was wrong in his remarks about Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel's late-night show was suspended on Wednesday, September 17, after he commented on the reaction to the brutal killing of the conservative figure.

Bill Maher says Jimmy Kimmel should not lose his job

During his Monday, September 15 broadcast, Jimmy Kimmel said, "The MAGA gang is 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 it."

He also mocked President Donald Trump’s response to the death of the Turning Point USA founder, comparing it to "how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish," after Trump pivoted to talking about a new White House ballroom.

Maher pushed back on Kimmel’s framing, saying, "I don’t think what he said was exactly right. I don’t. We don’t agree on that." Still, he added during his monologue, "He shouldn’t lose his job for it."

Maher said Kimmel was wrong to imply that the suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was Republican. "Jimmy’s wrong, I think, to put [Robinson] in one team. But, you know, look at what this guy is doing. I mean, Jimmy has every right to be wrong, but look at this guy," Maher said.

Meanwhile, Trump blasted Kimmel’s comments as "a horrible thing about a great gentleman." ABC’s parent company Nexstar Media called the late-night host’s words "offensive and insensitive" before canceling 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

Maher warned against pigeonholing "nuts" who commit violence, saying, "This kid doesn’t belong in either party. He belongs in a straitjacket. He’s an outpatient who should not be out." He added, "But you have the right to be wrong or to have any opinion you want. That’s what the First Amendment is all about."

Jimmy Kimmel says he is living in strange times

Kimmel addressed the controversy on Friday, telling longtime collaborator Adam Carolla that he was living in "strange times" and claimed he believed he was being followed. In text messages, he said he thought a helicopter had been tailing him. 

Carolla reached out hours after the news of Kimmel’s suspension broke.

On Thursday, September 18, protesters gathered outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank over ABC’s decision. Many late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and former host David Letterman, voiced their support for Kimmel.