On Sept. 15th, during Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show, he made controversial comments regarding the death of Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump’s reaction.
Following the controversial episode on Wednesday, Sept. 17, ABC stated that it had pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air.
The cancellation of the show caused a major uproar and backlash amongst many celebrities and fans.
The show was eventually brought back entirely on Sept. 26. “Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience,” said Sinclair Broadcasting, the station that took “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air.
Following this situation, celebrities have taken speaking out about free speech into their own hands.
Award-winning actress Jane Fonda is now relaunching a group called the “Committee for the First Amendment”. The committee was originally founded in 1947, two years after World War II ended, by screenwriter Philip Dunne, actress Myrna Loy and film directors John Huston and William Wyler. Fonda’s father, Henry Fonda, was a member.
During this time, American citizens were being persecuted by the federal government for their political beliefs, so the “Committee for the First Amendment” was created to fight against McCarthyism (a political practice that publicizes accusations of subversion with little to no evidence) and the “House Un-American Activities Committee”.
“The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry,” the committee said in a statement. “We refuse to stand by and let that happen.”
The “Committee for the First Amendment” states on their website, “Free speech is not partisan — it is the cornerstone of democracy, the lifeblood of art, and a global beacon for freedom. History has taught us: silence is complicity, and solidarity is our only defense.”
“I’m 87 years old. I’ve seen war, repression, protest, and backlash. I’ve been celebrated, and I’ve been branded an enemy of the state. But I can tell you this: this is the most frightening moment of my life,” Jane Fonda said in a letter inviting others to join the group.
Over 500 celebrities have already come together in support of this group, including musicians such as Gracie Abrams, Janelle Monae, Billie Eilish and John Legend; directors Judd Apatow, JJ Abrams and Spike Lee; and actors/actresses Anne Hathaway, Pedro Pascal, Natalie Portman, Viola Davis, Mark Ruffalo, Winona Ryder and Ben Stiller.
The entertainment industry is coming together to protect the cornerstone of democracy and fight repression – now it’s your turn to take a step.
