Jimmy Kimmel returned to late night with free speech as his frame, turning FCC Chairman Brendan Carr into a foil while warning that government pressure can chill broadcasters and platforms. He thanked allies and critics alike for defending speech rights, then zeroed in on Carr’s podcast remarks about potential fines and license action.
Kimmel called those comments “not a particularly intelligent threat to make in public” and joked that Carr was “the most embarrassing car Republicans have embraced since the Cybertruck.” He also resurfaced a 2022 Carr tweet praising political satire as core to free expression, arguing the chair’s recent posture contradicts that sentiment.
After a break, the show ran a bit in which Kimmel “called” Carr’s office and was met by a pretend chairman-turned-consigliere, played by Robert De Niro, lampooning the idea of bullying comedians for crossing political lines.
The same day, the National Religious Broadcasters urged the FCC to apply standards fairly and without viewpoint bias. NRB President and CEO Troy A. Miller said the health of a democratic republic depends on protecting diverse voices, and that suppressing one viewpoint endangers all. General Counsel Michael Farris added that “public interest” must align with the First Amendment, saying imbalance alone should never justify silencing a broadcaster; by that logic, faith-based outlets that take strong positions could be targeted. NRB said it remains ready to work with the Commission to ensure consistent, viewpoint-neutral enforcement.