Jimmy Kimmel’s Removal Proves America Is Now a "Full Oligarchy" | Pivot

Swisher and Galloway argue that Brendan Carr’s threats about ABC’s broadcast license—and Sinclair/Nexstar’s demands—created a coercive environment where Disney pulled Kimmel not for ratings but to appease a Trump-aligned FCC, crossing from private editorial choice into government-chilled speech.

They contend Iger chose shareholder comfort and short-term stock price over defending free expression, comparing him unfavorably to Neville Chamberlain and stressing that few executives have his power to resist and set a precedent; instead, he “bent the knee.”

The hosts juxtapose years of right-wing complaints about cancel culture and defense of offensive speech with current efforts by Trump allies to get critics fired, labeled as hate speakers, or legally targeted—demonstrating that their free-speech stance is purely situational.

They note that late-night TV and network news have aging, shrinking audiences, so while taking Kimmel off ABC is symbolically authoritarian and dangerous, the practical impact will be to push talent like Kimmel to streaming, YouTube, Substack, and podcasts where FCC leverage is weaker.

Galloway suggests that the top few percent of earners—responsible for a disproportionate share of consumer spending—could wield targeted boycotts, reduced holiday consumption, or capital moves (e.g., moving assets abroad) to signal that they won’t financially underwrite a slide toward autocracy.