Podcast Summary: The Ben Shapiro Show
Episode: Ep. 2283 - Kimmel SUSPENDED After Terrible Charlie Kirk Assassination Take
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro
Overview
This episode confronts a major media controversy: the indefinite suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" following Kimmel’s remarks about the killing of conservative figure Charlie Kirk. Ben Shapiro explores issues of free speech, cancel culture, the boundaries between government and civil society, and the implications of government intervention in media decisions. Shapiro also criticizes left-wing commentary on political violence and touches briefly on recent policy and economic developments.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Remembering Charlie Kirk: Tributes and Legacy (00:00 - 04:34)
- Shapiro opens with tributes to his slain friend Charlie Kirk.
- Glenn Beck honors Charlie by placing Rush Limbaugh’s EIB (Excellence in Broadcasting) microphone on his desk during a guest host spot on Kirk’s show.
- Quote: Glenn Beck: "It is Rush's golden microphone. I think it's appropriate that it sits in front of Charlie's microphone." (00:57)
- Vice President J.D. Vance appears on Fox News expressing that Charlie should be remembered for his contributions rather than his tragic end.
- Quote: J.D. Vance: “99.9% of [your memory of Charlie] should be a titan of the conservative movement, a beloved friend and a dear husband and father.” (02:00)
- Vance and Shapiro discuss people celebrating Kirk’s death and societal consequences for egregious speech, delineating between “cancel culture” and civil society’s legitimate sanctions.
- Quote: J.D. Vance: "If you celebrate Charlie Kirk's death, you should not be protected from being fired for being a disgusting person." (04:34)
2. Cancel Culture vs. Government Censorship (05:25 - 10:00)
- Shapiro distinguishes social backlash from government intervention:
- Civil society's power to censure bad actors is healthy.
- Shapiro is firmly against government (especially federal) compelling or suppressing speech, citing principles violated during the Biden administration’s efforts on social media moderation.
- In the context of Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, Shapiro questions whether public outrage or government pressure forced ABC’s decision.
3. The Demise of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (10:00 - 19:12)
- Shapiro recounts Kimmel’s past controversies—ranging from blackface “Man Show” routines to insensitive COVID jokes (e.g., wishing harm on the unvaccinated).
- Quote: Ben Shapiro: "There are a thousand times that Jimmy Kimmel should have been canceled... He’s been trash for over 10 years." (07:06)
- ABC suspends “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after affiliates and Nexstar object to Kimmel’s recent comments linking Charlie Kirk’s shooter with MAGA.
- Original offending clip:
- Kimmel: "We hit some new lows... with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them." (14:18)
- Shapiro notes this was factually untrue by the time of air.
- Nexstar’s official statement criticized Kimmel for “offensive and insensitive” remarks (16:38).
- Original offending clip:
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured ABC, contributing to suspicions of government overreach:
- Carr: "They have a license granted by us at the FCC and that comes with an obligation to operate in the public interest... We can do this the easy way or the hard way." (18:17)
- Carr celebrates Kimmel’s suspension with a “raising the roof” GIF, which Shapiro finds problematic (37:50).
4. Government Pressure vs. Social Censure (19:12 - 22:00)
- Shapiro forcefully argues against the FCC’s involvement, warning such regulatory threats set a dangerous precedent:
- Quote: "I do not want the FCC in the business of telling local affiliates their licenses will be removed if they broadcast material that the FCC deems to be informationally false." (19:12)
- He draws parallels with prior Democratic overreach and argues for consistent application of First Amendment principles.
5. Leftwing Commentary & The Politics of Blame (23:00 - 41:00)
- Ta-Nehisi Coates: Shapiro rebuts Coates’ Vanity Fair article blaming Kirk’s rhetoric for his own murder and labeling Kirk a white supremacist, arguing Coates and others on the left create "permission structures" for violence.
- Quote: Ben Shapiro: "For the left, the desire to treat Charlie as an 'other'... is so strong because they have to project. With the left, every accusation is an admission." (31:39)
- Josh Shapiro (Governor of Pennsylvania): Shapiro criticizes the Governor for suggesting right-wing violence in incidents perpetrated by pro-Palestine activists.
- Quote: Ben Shapiro: "Let us be clear where those reside, they reside on the political left." (39:55)
6. Barack Obama’s Response & Broader Free Speech Issues (44:12 - 51:24)
- Barack Obama calls for national unity in condemning political violence but, per Shapiro, redirects blame toward Trump and conservative rhetoric.
- Quote, Obama: "We are certainly at an inflection point, not just around political violence, but there are a host of larger trends that we have to be concerned about." (44:12)
- Shapiro highlights what he sees as Obama’s selective memory and hypocrisy, pointing to past polarizing speeches (Ferguson, Dallas police shootings) and a failure to directly call out left-wing violence.
- Key Critique: Shapiro argues Obama and the left deflect from specific leftist violence, instead pushing a narrative of right-wing extremism.
7. Policy & Economic Updates (53:50 - End)
- Antifa: Trump is pushing to designate Antifa a domestic terrorist group and investigate its funding—a move Shapiro supports.
- Debanking: Noting an uptick in political discrimination by banks against conservatives and liberty-minded customers, Shapiro welcomes Trump’s executive order investigating politicized debanking.
- Immigration: An immigration judge orders the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-terror activist linked to the recent protests.
- Economy: Fed Chair Jerome Powell announces a quarter-point rate cut amidst weakening jobs numbers and persistent inflation.
- Powell: "[We] are now reacting to, you know, to the much lower level of job creation and other evidence of softening in the labor market." (58:56)
- Shapiro notes this signals economic fragility more than true recovery.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Glenn Beck’s Tribute: (00:57) “It is Rush's golden microphone. I think it's appropriate that it sits in front of Charlie's microphone.”
- J.D. Vance: (04:34) “If you celebrate Charlie Kirk’s death, you should not be protected from being fired for being a disgusting person.”
- Ben Shapiro: (19:12) “I do not want the FCC in the business of telling local affiliates their licenses will be removed if they broadcast material that the FCC deems to be informationally false.”
- Brendan Carr: (18:17) “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
- Obama: (44:12) “We are certainly at an inflection point, not just around political violence, but there are a host of larger trends that we have to be concerned about.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:00 | Opening: Charlie Kirk tributes (Glenn Beck, J.D. Vance) | | 04:34 | Civil society vs. cancel culture: When is speech sanction justified? | | 07:06 | Shapiro's take on Jimmy Kimmel’s history & hypocrisy | | 14:18 | The offending Kimmel monologue about the Kirk shooting | | 16:38 | Nexstar/ABC’s official statement on Kimmel’s suspension | | 18:17 | FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s threat to ABC and affiliates | | 19:12 | Shapiro’s objection to FCC involvement; long-term dangers | | 31:39 | Shapiro on Ta-Nehisi Coates “permission structures” for violence | | 37:50 | Public celebration and government intervention – Carr “raising the roof” | | 44:12 | Barack Obama’s interview: current state of political violence | | 53:50 | Trump’s moves on Antifa, debanking, immigration, plus Fed rate cuts |
Summary and Tone
Ben Shapiro’s tone is combative, rapid-fire, and deeply critical of both Hollywood liberalism (epitomized by Kimmel) and the perceived overreach of government regulators. He positions himself as a defender of principled conservatism, free speech, and equal enforcement of standards—while frequently lamenting the hypocrisy of the left and the dangers of poorly calibrated government action.
The episode is loaded with cultural references, Yiddish jabs at Kimmel, and emphatic warnings about the dangerous precedents being set in contemporary media-policy battles. Shapiro insists that conservatives should celebrate Kimmel’s removal only if it results from genuine public outrage—not state pressure—lest similar levers be used against the right in future.
For listeners wanting a dense, critical analysis of recent media and political speech battles—through a conservative lens—this episode distills the tumultuous intersection of culture, policy, and free expression in modern America.