Jimmy Kimmel isn't out of the woods yet.
One Monday, we learned that ABC intended to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel from his suspension over his vile lying about Charlie Kirk's assassin. The left tried to cast this as a free speech issue, but it was ABC, a private company that suspended Kimmel - and reinstated him after a few mental health days.
As my colleague Bonchie informed us, also on Monday, network affiliate Sinclair has refused to put Kimmel back on the air. On Tuesday, another major affiliate, Nexstar, announced it will do likewise.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., announced on Tuesday that it will continue preempting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" despite Disney allowing the show to return to ABC.
"We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve," the company said in a statement.
"In the meantime, we note that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets," Nexstar added.
Kimmel was suspended for laughably false remarks about Charlie Kirk's assassin: "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." This is one of the most transparent lies in the media since the Great Moon Hoax of 1835. Kimmel's suspension, though, now seems to have been largely symbolic, at least as far as ABC was concerned.
For ABC affiliate Nexstar? Not so much. And for ABC, Nexstar's refusal to air Kimmel has to sting:
Nexstar Media Group is the largest local television broadcasting group in the U.S., with more than 200 owned or partner stations that serve 220 million people in 116 U.S. markets.
Last month, Nexstar announced a deal to acquire broadcast media company Tegna for $6.2 billion, which Nexstar said will help ensure the viability of local news and programming.
That's over half of the population of the United States who won't be able to see Kimmel on the Nexstar network. Oh, in this online age, there are sure to be workarounds, other places that the left can watch their late-night favorite, but Nexstar won't be involved.
Read More: That Didn't Take Long: Jimmy Kimmel Now to Return to ABC
ABC Affiliate Stations Push Back in the Face of the Network's Cowardice on Kimmel
The other fun angle, as I noted on Monday, is the ratings factor. With Sinclair and now Nexstar saying, "No thanks" to Kimmel's reinstatement, things aren't looking up for the prospects of Kimmel's ratings from this point on. And, frankly, watching Kimmel's ratings crash into the virtual basement would be very satisfying for all of us who can't abide liars appearing on major media networks.
If and when that moment comes when ABC decides that keeping Jimmy Kimmel around just isn't worth the trouble, the only thing most of us will have to say is "Don't let the screen door hit you on the way out." Then Jimmy Kimmel will have all the mental health days he wants - and he needs them.
Maybe he should have stayed on "The Man Show."
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
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