Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, September 19th, 2025:
PRODUCTION NOTES
Tonight's newsletter would typically be the last one of the week until early Monday morning. But the Jimmy Kimmel coverage has pushed out everything else the past couple of days. So you'll receive a bonus newsletter tomorrow with some viewing recommendations and a really fascinating interview with a veteran television writer.
SOME THOUGHTS FROM A JIMMY KIMMEL STAFFER
I am often surprised by the range of people who read and subscribe to this newsletter. And I am also honored that many of the industry people who read my journalism trust me to accurately and fairly tell their stories.
Tonight I heard from a staffer on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, who was irate over comments they had read from Disney executives, claiming that they hoped the show will return, once Kimmel was willing to "lower the temperature" of the discussion. They asked not be identified, not because they feared for their job, but because "it's Jimmy's show and his story to tell publicly." Here is part of our conversation, lightly edited for clarity.
So why are you talking to anyone about this right now?
I read the piece you wrote last night and it really hit me. I'm in the middle of one of those moments that really defines the type of person you are.
I'm not unbiased. I love Jimmy, he's a great person to work for and I think just about everyone on the show would say we're lucky to be part of this. But it's been hard for him in the past few years. Struggles personally, and once Trump became president the number of threats and attention he received from Trump supporters increased. I don't know all the details, but I know it has been bad at times. Not just for him, but for some of the people working on the show. At least for me, the show itself has been great. But everything around it has sucked. Because it was becoming increasingly clear in recent weeks that Sir Iger and the ABC executives would cut us loose in a second if they thought something we did might hurt attendance at Disney World or cost anyone their annual bonus.
Were you shocked by the decision by ABC to pull the show?
On one hand, no. Because I had zero faith that any of the network execs had the slightest bit of stones to stand up for their employees. I mean, yeah, I was surprised it happened that specific day. But you could see it coming. Every time some MAGA asshat would spout off about the show, the knot in my stomach just got tighter.
What did you think of Jimmy's monologue? Do you think critics had a point?
Even if I thought that, I would never say it out loud. I would feel as if I was betraying the show. But no, I don't think they had a point. The Trump folks are like that cop who wants to pull over a driver and waits until they make some slight mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Black Guy, you didn't come to a complete stop and look both ways at that last stop sign." That's our show. We were always a running stop away from unemployment.
Do you think...
Wait. Sorry, I don't mean to be an ass and interrupt. But the unemployment thing is a big deal for me. There are a lot of people working on the show who can't afford to be out of work. They have jobs that won't pay them if they don't work. And they likely don't have much money saved up. If you're in Hollywood and don't want to say anything in support publicly...well, fuck you. But one thing you can do is find a job for one of the staffers who need it right now. Even if it means digging into your own pocket. Spending a little of your own money is the least you can do. And honestly, it is the least you can do.
You don't sound as if you think the show is coming back.
I want to think it will. But I can't imagine a scenario in which that happens. Even if Jimmy was willing to publicly apologize and donate money to whatever ghoulish conservative group that is demanding it....MAGA people will never be happy. It will never be enough. And Disney will look at the situation and decide it's cheaper to buy out the rest of his contract to replace the show with reruns of Modern Family and Judge Judy. Somehow, they'll convince themselves the worst is behind them. Until a day or two pass and they find themselves having to defend Whoopi and the other women of The View. And no one wants to be in that position.
If you have a tip or would like to talk confidentially, email me at
MORE THOUGHTS ON JIMMY KIMMEL
As you might imagine, nearly everyone who owns a TV and a keyboard has written something in the past 24 hours about Jimmy Kimmel. Here are highlights from a few pieces I think are worth reading:
From Joel Stein's newsletter, The End Of My Career:
What I learned then, and in every other interaction with Kimmel (including when he blurbed my last book), is that he has an enormous amount of integrity mixed with bravery. Which is a weird thing to get from someone whose answer to my question, “What statement are we trying to make with girls on trampolines?” was “Girls on trampolines!” But he has a backbone I’ve rarely seen in Hollywood.
I’ve been told that Kimmel’s life has not been easy the last nine years. He is confronted constantly by Trump supporters who hate him. He gets threats. He is not safe. And not only from Matt Damon. Kimmel feels obligated to keep up his resistance, but is not enjoying it in the least.
And this piece from Dave Pell's Next Draft provides a clarifying thought for Hollywood:
Even when it comes to his business, it's always been personal for Jimmy Kimmel. He's been taking major career risks by fighting for what he believes in for a long time. In 2017, motivated in part by his son’s medical challenges, he began using his monologue to challenge a terrible health care bill being pushed by the Senate GOP. Back then, some politicians and members of the media referred to a Jimmy Kimmel Test — used to determine whether a kid who was born with certain health difficulties would be covered and get everything they need (regardless of cost) during the first year of life.
I suggested we adopt a different Jimmy Kimmel Test: Will a person take personal and professional risks to stand up for what’s right? As I wrote at the time, I can’t say many good things about Donald Trump, but I’ll give him this: Donald Trump is a values clarifier. He’s a living, breathing reminder of which values you cherish and what you’re willing to stand up for. We’ve spent countless hours analyzing the character of Donald Trump. But that’s a settled issue. The real character being tested is ours. We've seen that character wilt in our halls of Congress, our institutions, our universities, and our corporate boardrooms, as a parade of rapid-fire knee-bending has heralded in a new era of American exceptionalism—one in which we prove that no country capitulates to authoritarian tendencies faster than us.
And from TPM's Morning Memo:
Last evening reminded me of the night in early March 2020 when Tom Hanks and his wife Rita, abroad in Australia, were diagnosed with COVID. For those of us paying close attention to the progress of the virus and already shutting down business operations and schools, the news that even a vaunted global citizen like Hanks had contracted it was confirmation that things were going to get very bad. But for many more casual observers, it was the first wake-up call that COVID was a threat to everyone.
Sitting here the next morning, I wish I could say with some confidence that ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show — under pressure from President Trump’s minion at the Federal Communications Commission, ostensibly for comments made on his Monday show in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination — will have the catalyzing effect that the Hanks’ diagnosis did. I’m not so sure.
We are falling, at an increasingly rapid clip, into the abyss. And make no mistake, everyone is at risk.
On the other hand, there is this piece from The Hollywood Reporter, which essentially blames everything on Kimmel's inability to tell a coherent punchline:
In an essay I wrote in January about Elon Musk’s viral so-called “Nazi salute,” I pointed out that communications experts agree that being understood properly is the responsibility of the speaker. That if you’re widely misinterpreted for something you said or did, it’s not your audience’s fault, it’s your fault. Same goes here. If a tidal wave of angry people assume Kimmel meant one thing and it causes a huge network headache, even if it wasn’t what he intended, the man still made a poor choice of words if a reasonable person could view it the “wrong” way. Hopefully, this is a mistake that won’t spell the end of Kimmel’s career. If he was going to blow out of late night by saying something hugely controversial on air, Kimmel would surely have preferred to say something that was perfectly clear.
Well, that is certainly a unique take.
IT'S DEPRESSING HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH 'FUCK YOU' MONEY ARE TOO AFRAID TO SAY 'FUCK YOU'
One of the semi-jokes you hear frequently from people working in Hollywood is that they're working until they get what they consider to be "fuck you" money. In other words, you have enough money to say "fuck you" to anyone you don't want to work with or support.
Unfortunately, one of things we are learning this week is that a number of Hollywood people who have "fuck you" money are afraid to use it. There have been a lot of private messages of anguish from people working in the industry over the sidelining of Jimmy Kimmel. But there have been remarkably few industry figures willing to put their jobs on the line - or even be inconvenienced - to support issues they claim to care about passionately.
But there are some notable exceptions. Lost writer/producer Damon Lindelof posted on Instagram that he won't work with Disney unless Kimmel is reinstated:
I am already reading reports from industry journalists reporting that other Hollywood figures have "privately expressed their dismay" over ABC's decision or are "weighing what response they should make." Which is worse than doing nothing, because leaking to the press that you’re thinking about doing the right thing is the most cynical move imaginable.
TWEET OF THE DAY
ODDS AND SODS
* Jon Stewart made a rare Thursday night appearance on The Daily Show to deliver "Post-Kimmel Primer On Free Speech In The Glorious Trump Era" and I am not going to attempt to describe it. Just watch the entire thing, which shows Stewart at his very best.
* The French HBO series The Seduction will premiere Friday, November 14th on HBO Max. Here is the official logline: "To be the hero of your own story, you sometimes have to be the villain in others’. Marquise de Merteuil, betrayed by Valmont, embarks on a daring journey to become Paris’ leading courtesan. Freely adapted from the novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, a thrilling exploration of the price of emotional & sexual freedom in a world where women had little."
* Jimmy Fallon had been scheduled to appear on a panel about his new reality competition series On Brand With Jimmy Fallon at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York City Thursday morning, but abruptly dropped out "in light of recent events," according to the event's organizer.
* New tonight: a Hollywood labor joint statement on Jimmy Kimmel.
* Dangerously Obese premieres Wednesday, October 22nd on TLC. Here is the official logline: "On the series, individuals attempt to lose weight and reinvent their lives with the help of renowned bariatric surgeon, Dr. Charles Procter, who is well known for his work on TLC’s 1000-LB Sisters and 1000-LB Best Friends. Facing incredible challenges as they work to save their own lives, the series will profile people who have made the brave commitment to undergo bariatric surgery and finally make a change. Featured stories include a mother-daughter duo who have been plagued with obesity for most of their lives, a newly out and proud gay man ready to live life to its fullest, and a former softball player whose career was cut short by her obesity. Each episode will tell a new story, offering an intimate and in-depth look inside the lives of these brave individuals, following them over the course of a year or more to chronicle their deeply personal journeys."
* Acclaimed master of horror James Wan brings his chilling cinematic vision to real supernatural stories in the series True Haunting, which premieres Tuesday, October 7th on Netflix.
* 106 & Sports, which is described as "a reimagining of the legendary 106 & Park brand," will premiere Wednesday, October 15th, on BET. Here is the official logline: "106 & Sports is the definitive home for culturally-driven sports commentary. Hosted by NFL icon Cam Newton and Ashley Nicole Moss, the show is an unfiltered celebration where fandom, fun, and fearless opinions intersect. Each episode delivers a vibrant blend of authentic athlete insights and unfiltered fan energy, making it the most culturally resonant sports talk show on television. This is not just a show about sports, it's a show about the culture that makes the game."
* About Face premieres Wednesday, October 29th on TLC. Here is the official logline: "The series spotlights a team of elite Los Angeles-based plastic surgeons as they take on some of the most complex and medically challenging facial reconstruction cases. Drs. Roostaeian, Rovelo, and Panossian work at the cutting edge of reconstructive surgery, transforming the lives of patients suffering from severe facial deformities, traumatic injuries, and rare conditions, including massive tumors, extensive birthmarks, and disfiguring accidents. About Face captures the emotional and physical journeys of those who’ve been overlooked, misdiagnosed, or told nothing could be done. It’s not just about changing appearances, it’s about restoring dignity, hope, and humanity."
WHAT'S COMING TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH:
* Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian (HBO)
* Chief Of War Season One Finale (Apple TV+)
* Happy Mess Method Series Period (The Roku Channel)
* Haunted Hotel Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Lego Star Wars: Rebuild The Galaxy - Pieces Of The Past (Disney+)
* Night Of The Reaper (Shudder)
* Scariest House in America Season Two Premiere (HGTV)
* She Said Maybe (Netflix)
* She Wants My Daughter (LMN)
* Swiped (Hulu)
* The Couple Next Door Season Two Premiere (Starz)
* The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy Season Three Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Zillow Gone Wild Season Two Premiere (HGTV)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH:
* Bad Bunny: No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí: Una Más (Prime Video)
* The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story (Lifetime)
* WWE Wrestlepalooza (ESPN)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST:
* A Grammy Salute To Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night Of September (CBS)
* Halloween Wars Season Fifteen Premiere (Food Network)
* Inside USA Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Let the Devil In Finale (MGM+)
* Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery - The Untold Story (Disney+/Hulu)
* 99 To Beat Series Premiere (Fox)
* No One Believed Me (Lifetime)
* The Happiest Story On Earth: 70 Years Of Disneyland (ABC)
* Tulsa King Season Three Premiere (Paramount+)
SEE YOU EARLY MONDAY MORNING!