Michael Eisner Rips Disney Brass Over Jimmy Kimmel & Bending The Knee To MAGA

At least one self-described “ex-CEO” of the Walt Disney Company is extremely disappointed in the current brass’ decision to bench Jimmy Kimmel over the late night host’s remarks about the reaction to Charlie Kirk‘s fatal shooting and strong arming from the Trump administration.

Declaring that he “finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny,” Bob Iger‘s first predecessor bluntly asked today: “Where has all the leadership gone?”

“The ‘suspending indefinitely’ of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC’s aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation,”” the 1984 – 2005 Disney boss wrote Friday in a rare X post. “Maybe the Constitution should have said, ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one’s political or financial self-interest,’” Eisner added.

While never naming Iger or Disney Entertainment chief Dana Walden, who supposedly made the call together on September 17 to shutter Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the face of FCC threats and an affiliate owner revolt, by name, the acerbic Eisner leaves little doubt in his post who he is talking about.

Having secured $15 million from Disney late last year to end a widely considered weak lawsuit over ill-considered comments by George Stephanopoulos in the first of many big media retreats and payoffs so far in his second term, Trump has rejoiced in harsh critic Kimmel being taken off ABC’s air — though the former Apprentice host insists (wrongly) it was because of Kimmel’s ratings. To that, Trump has further encouraged “tough guy” FCC chair Brendon Carr to go after ABC’s The View and others who cross him

Today’s comments by Eisner are a long way from just a year ago when the ex-exec publicly backed Iger and Disney leaders in their proxy war with activist investors. Put up to no small degree by former Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter,  Nelson Peltz and his Trian Fund Management in April 2024 were unsuccessful attempting another bid to win seats on Disney’s board.

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