Damon Lindelof vows not to work with Disney over Jimmy Kimmel suspension: 'I can’t in good conscience'

Damon Lindelof said he was 'shocked' and 'infuriated' by Disney's decision, vowing not to work with the company until the show is reinstated
PUBLISHED SEP 19, 2025
Damon Lindelof expressed love and support for Jimmy Kimmel as he defended him against the suspension (Getty Images)
Damon Lindelof expressed love and support for Jimmy Kimmel as he defended him against the suspension (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Damon Lindelof, creator of 'Lost' and 'The Leftovers', has vowed to cut ties with Disney until 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' is reinstated, following ABC’s surprise decision to indefinitely pull the late-night show from the air after controversy over comments about Charlie Kirk’s killing.

Lindelof announced his boycott in a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, September 18, expressing shock over the suspension and promising he would not work with the company “in good conscience” unless the show returns.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Damon Lindelof attends Peacock's
Damon Lindelof attends Peacock's 'Mrs. Davis' Los Angeles Premiere at DGA Theater Complex on April 13, 2023, in Los Angeles, California (Unique Nicole/Getty Images)

Damon Lindelof 'saddened and infuriated' by Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

On Thursday, Damon Lindelof drew a clear line in the sand with Disney. “I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon. If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it,” he wrote on Instagram.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Damon (@damonlindelof)


 

He praised Kimmel’s character, calling the host caring, empathetic, and generous. “You know he supported his crew through multiple strikes … most of all, you know that he is kind,” Lindelof added.

Jimmy Kimmel attends Metallica's 'All Within My Hands' Foundation Presented by the Helping Hands Concert And Auction 2024 at YouTube Theater on December 13, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kevin Winter)
Jimmy Kimmel attends Metallica's 'All Within My Hands' Foundation Presented by the Helping Hands Concert and Auction 2024 at YouTube Theater on December 13, 2024, in Inglewood, California (Getty Images)

He concluded his message by urging critics to distinguish between “hate speech and a joke,” writing, “Jimmy? You’ve ALWAYS known what you were doing. Love you and support you.”

ABC pulls 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' amid controversy

Hollywood was stunned Wednesday when ABC announced it was preempting 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' “indefinitely.”

The decision came after FCC chairman Brendan Carr called Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s alleged killer “some of the sickest conduct possible” and warned that the agency could take action against Disney.

Hours after Carr’s remarks, Nexstar, the largest station group in the US, which is currently seeking FCC approval to acquire Tegna, announced it was dropping Kimmel’s show from its ABC affiliates for the “foreseeable future.”

Jimmy Kimmel attends
Jimmy Kimmel attends 'Jeff Ross: Take A Banana For The Ride' Broadway Opening Night at Nederlander Theatre on August 18, 2025, in New York City (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Sinclair Broadcast Group followed suit. Disney top executives Dana Walden and CEO Bob Iger ultimately made the call to suspend the program, sparking protests outside the Burbank studio lot on Thursday morning, with another demonstration scheduled for later in the day in Hollywood.



 

Kimmel’s September 15 monologue criticized attempts by Trump supporters to frame Kirk’s alleged killer differently. He said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.”

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