Jimmy Kimmel Compares Being Taken Off the Air for 6 Days to a “Near Death Experience”

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I couldn’t believe it when I heard Jimmy Kimmel described his six-day break from TV as a “near-death experience.” It really struck me as a huge overreaction and a sign of how much some celebrities think of themselves.

Yes, really.

After winning Best Talk Show at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, Kimmel talked about the time his show was temporarily taken off the air last year. He described the experience using dramatic language usually saved for serious situations like medical crises, war, or almost dying.

Honestly, it was a really unsettling time. He said it felt a bit like watching your own life flash before your eyes – he even compared it to Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn sneaking a peek at their own funerals! It wasn’t actually life-threatening, but it definitely felt that surreal and strange.

NEW — Jimmy Kimmel Calls Being Taken Off the Air for a Few Days a ‘Near Death Experience’

“When they come after the comedians, this is when we draw the line.”

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) January 5, 2026

Just to clarify: Jimmy Kimmel Live! briefly stopped airing in September 2025, but it wasn’t canceled permanently. The show returned after only six days, and Jimmy Kimmel continued to host as usual, still with his job and financial success, on ABC.

According to Kimmel, the experience was so upsetting that he described it using dramatic, mournful language, as if something had died.

The “Funeral” That Lasted Less Than a Week

After facing criticism for comments made about Charlie Kirk during his show, Jimmy Kimmel’s program was briefly taken off the air by ABC. It was brought back a few days later, and there were no lasting repercussions.

Now, Kimmel describes the incident as a deeply threatening moment—not to the general idea of free expression, but specifically to him personally.

When he accepted the award, he described the public’s response as a strong show of support for all comedians.

It was incredible to witness how deeply the audience connected with the material – not just liking it, but needing it, honestly. It really hit me then that when they start coming after comedians, that’s when we all need to stand up and say enough is enough.

Jimmy Kimmel often presents the temporary removal of his show from broadcast as a major cultural issue, portraying comedians as the last line of defense against injustice and authoritarianism.

This, from one of the most protected figures in corporate media.

President Trump, Of Course, Still Lives Rent-Free

As a big fan of Jimmy Kimmel, I’ve noticed he almost always brings up Donald Trump these days, and his speech at the Critics Choice Awards was no exception. It wouldn’t have felt right if he hadn’t!

In his acceptance speech, Kimmel jokingly thanked the President for giving him so much to talk about.

He expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump, saying, “Without him, we wouldn’t be celebrating tonight.” He jokingly added, “Thank you, Mr. President, for all the crazy things you do every day.”

Even when being honored for his achievements, Jimmy Kimmel managed to steer the focus back to Donald Trump, a habit he’s shown consistently for almost ten years.

It’s a bit rich, honestly, to hear Kimmel say Trump wants to silence him. The guy gets to host a national show every night, he’s still winning awards, and his network clearly has his back. It feels like a strange claim when he’s got such a powerful platform to begin with.

Perspective Still Missing

It’s telling when a wealthy TV personality equates a temporary career issue with a life-threatening situation—and it highlights their disconnect from reality more than it’s a joke.

Jimmy Kimmel faced no lasting consequences for his actions. He kept his job, his show continued to air on the same schedule, and he hasn’t lost any of the recognition he’s earned.

And yet, the rhetoric escalates.

This episode highlights a common trend in today’s celebrity world: small setbacks in their careers are often presented as major personal attacks, while real struggles faced by others go largely unnoticed.

Jimmy Kimmel felt deeply unsettled after spending only a few days at home with his family, describing it as a very difficult experience.

To most people, it just seemed like a quick, temporary thing the company did, and then everything went back to normal. Honestly, that’s how it appeared to me too – a blip on the radar, nothing more.

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2026-01-05 20:58