400 Hollywood names sign open letter supporting free speech over Jimmy Kimmel suspension
Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, and Jennifer Aniston are among over 400 names in the entertainment industry to have signed an open letter supporting Jimmy Kimmel after he was suspended from ABC.
The letter, which has been published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), makes an extensive statement from Hollywood over the right to free speech, after Kimmel was pulled from the air last week due to his criticism of Donald Trump’s reaction to the death of Charlie Kirk.
Showing their support by signing the statement are over 400 figures from the music and film worlds, including huge names such as Pedro Pascal, Olivia Rodrigo, Ben Stiller, Jane Fonda, Michael Keaton and Jamie Lee Curtis, among many others.
Part of the letter reads: “In an attempt to silence its critics, our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives, and entertainers across the board. This runs counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees.”
It adds that the censorship of Kimmel is “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation,” before continuing, “Regardless of our political affiliation, or whether we engage in politics or not, we all love our country. We also share the belief that our voices should never be silenced by those in power – because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.”
It comes after many societal figures have rallied around Kimmel after his talk show was pulled from the air by ABC last week, after the host joked in his opening monologue that Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s murder was “like how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
This prompted backlash from the FCC, the Sinclair Group and Nexstar Media, as well as celebrations from Trump, who congratulated ABC on Truth Social “for finally having the courage to do what had to be done” after the news of Kimmel’s suspension was announced.
However, the open letter also implores the public to get involved, as it says: “This is the moment to defend free speech across our nation. We encourage all Americans to join us, along with the ACLU, in the fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.”
The full letter and list of signatories can be found here.
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