Fact Check: Did Disney lose $4B after Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Rumors are swirling online that Disney lost $4 million after suspending Jimmy Kimmel over controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer.

Although Disney reportedly reversed the decision, speculation continues to spread, claiming the company suffered even greater financial losses and faced a wave of subscription cancellations in protest. But is there any truth to these claims?

Fact Check: Has Disney lost $4 million over Jimmy Kimmel row?

Following ABC’s announcement of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, a rumor quickly spread online claiming that “#Disney has lost nearly $4 Billion in three days from combined stock price collapse and cancelled subscriptions."

The hashtags #BoycottABC and #BoycottDisney began trending, with many social media users stating they had canceled their Disney subscriptions in protest. Some even alleged that Disney’s losses amounted to nearly $4 billion due to the decision to suspend 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

However, these claims lack any verified basis. While it's true that some individuals canceled their subscriptions following the controversy, no official figures have been released to confirm the extent of any financial impact.

What is known is that Walt Disney Co's share price fell by 1.9% around the time of the suspension, which amounts to an estimated market value loss of $3.87 billion. Still, there is no concrete evidence linking this decline directly to Kimmel’s suspension.

Jimmy Kimmel's suspension controversy explained

Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by Disney-owned ABC after making controversial comments about the death of Charlie Kirk. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist, was fatally shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson during one of his campus tour events at Utah Valley University.

In his remarks, Kimmel drew attention to Kirk’s ties to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid (Robinson), who murdered Charlie Kirk, as anything other than one of them—and with everything they can to score political points from it.”

After a week-long suspension, sources familiar with the matter reported that ABC has reinstated Kimmel, following negotiations with Disney.

Although he is expected to address the controversy in his Tuesday night monologue, sources say he will not offer a direct apology.

The specific terms of Kimmel’s agreement with Disney remain unclear. It’s unknown whether the deal included revised contract conditions or a possible donation to Charlie Kirk’s organization—though reports suggest these issues were central to the discussions.

Kimmel is currently under contract with ABC through May 2026, following a three-year extension signed in 2022. He is reported to earn between $15 and $16 million annually, with bonuses that could push his total compensation above $20 million.