The Benny Show

Episode: "How We Got Jimmy Kimmel Ripped Off-Air, Why The Right Must Fight | Trump Press Conference LIVE Now, with Guest Pastor Rob McCoy"
Host: Benny Johnson
Date: September 18, 2025
Guest: Pastor Rob McCoy (Charlie Kirk's personal pastor)

Episode Overview

Benny Johnson focuses on two primary themes in this episode:

1. The aftermath of Jimmy Kimmel being taken off-air after controversial comments about Charlie Kirk (following Kirk's assassination), with Benny claiming strategic and tactical involvement from himself and his audience.
2. A “must-fight” stance for the right in America’s culture wars, examining the ramifications for free speech and the rising tide of Christian nationalist, populist, and conservative victories—both culturally and politically.

The show also features a live segment from President Trump's press conference in the UK, followed by commentary on current political realignments, and concludes with a moving memorial and discussion about Charlie Kirk with Pastor Rob McCoy.

Key Segment Breakdown & Timestamps

1. Setting the Stage: Why Kimmel's Firing Matters

[00:58 – 06:00]

• Benny celebrates Jimmy Kimmel being "ripped off air" following comments about Charlie Kirk.
• Rejects the claim that this is anti-free speech:
  “I want Jimmy Kimmel to keep going, keep yapping, keep exposing who you are, and we’ll keep telling the American people…” (01:45)
• The left’s perceived manipulation of media, contrasted to what Benny calls a “revival” and “spiritual awakening” among conservatives and Christians in the West.
• Reference to Charlie Kirk's funeral and the importance of cultural and spiritual momentum, particularly in light of the political climate and Kirk’s legacy.

2. President Trump’s Live UK Press Conference

[07:20 – 51:00]

UK Prime Minister’s Opening Remarks

[07:20 – 08:30]

• Emphasizes the transatlantic partnership, NATO, and future cooperation.

President Trump’s Statement

[08:30 – 16:58]

• Praises UK hospitality, highlights the “indestructible bond” between the US & UK.
• Comments on economic growth, new trade deals, AI/hardware, and quantum computing.
• Claims US investment of $17 trillion in 8 months versus $250 billion in Biden’s last year.
• Commends UK’s 5% GDP commitment to defense.
• References solving “seven wars,” lists Israel/Gaza and Russia/Ukraine as works-in-progress.
• Personal tribute to Charlie Kirk:

  "Just last week, a great American, Charlie Kirk, was heinously assassinated for speaking his mind. He was a great young man, incredible future." (15:10)

Press Q&A Highlights

• Palestinian Statehood & Gaza

  • Trump and Starmer differ on recognition and the conditions for peace in Gaza (18:50 – 21:55).
  • Trump: “Simply, I want the hostages released now, right now…” (18:50)

• Immigration & Border Control

  • Trump touts near-zero illegal crossings under his administration; advises using the military if needed (22:34).
  • Starmer says the UK is ramping up returns and trying a pragmatic energy mix (24:53).

• Energy Policy

  • Trump repeats “Drill, baby, drill” philosophy; criticizes renewables as too expensive and praises UK’s North Sea oil (26:49).

• Russia/Ukraine War

  • Trump expresses disappointment in Putin; asserts millions of deaths, laments war’s persistence, claims it wouldn’t have happened under his watch (28:12).
  • Starmer calls for ramped-up pressure on Russia, highlighting recent escalations and the need for coalition response (31:36).

• Christian Roots & Free Speech in the UK

  • Benny’s question: “Are we still a Christian country?” Presses Starmer on free speech in light of social media arrests.
  • Starmer: “Free speech… is one of the founding values of the UK and we protect it jealously…” (34:15)

• Antifa and Domestic Terrorism

  • Trump says he has labeled Antifa as domestic terrorists and would encourage the UK to take similar actions (35:43 onwards).

• Auto Pen Executive Orders Controversy

  • Trump alleges Biden didn’t authorize “open borders” policies and that orders were signed illegally (36:11).

• TikTok & U.S.-China Tech Talks

  • Trump affirms U.S. in finalizing a deal to move TikTok to American ownership; stresses its value and “fee plus” from the deal (39:02 – 41:00).

• Palestinian Recognition, Hamas, and Gaza

  • Starmer emphasizes Hamas is a terrorist group, assures recognition timing is not related to Trump’s visit, and reaffirms a two-state solution (41:12).

• On Kimmel’s Firing & Free Speech

  • Trump: “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else. And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person.” (43:59)
  • Starmer: “Whatever our political views, [the Kirk assassination] is shocking and is to be condemned.” (44:18)

• On Putin, Oil Sanctions, and U.S. Leverage

  • Trump: Drops in oil prices will force Russia to exit the war; criticizes European nations still buying Russian oil (49:30).

3. Charlie Kirk Memorial & The Fight Ahead

[50:45 - 99:12]

Benny Reflects on Kimmel, Kirk, and “Consequence Culture”

[50:45 – 67:00]

• “What we did to Jimmy Kimmel is consequence culture. It is literally the free market acting upon Jimmy Kimmel. That’s all.” (61:07)
• Outlines the “strategic” campaign:
  • FCC broadcast license pressure
  • Flooding ABC affiliates and Disney with complaints
  • Persuading local ABC affiliates to reject Kimmel’s show, slashing his viewership
  • Drawing a distinction between cancel culture (left) and consequence culture (right)
• Plays archival Kimmel clips (blackface, Trump jabs) to illustrate hypocrisy but insists he’s not “offended” by jokes—contrasts this with left’s history of canceling comedians.

Jimmy Kimmel’s "Sin" and the Two Offenses

[67:28 – 78:00]

• Benny accuses Kimmel of two mortal sins:
  1. Lying that the shooter who killed Kirk was MAGA.
  2. Blaming the victim, suggesting Charlie Kirk deserved it.
• Describes a campaign of media pressure and FCC complaints (with Brendan Carr, FCC commissioner) leading to Kimmel’s ouster—portrayed as a win in the “culture war.”

Tribute to Charlie Kirk (w/ Pastor Rob McCoy)

[78:45 – 113:37]

• Pastor Rob McCoy joins to memorialize Charlie Kirk as a modern-day Moses:

  “Charlie used to say, sometimes I wonder if people really want freedom or they just want to be taken care of… Charlie was fearless, just like you are.” (81:15)

• Reframes Kirk’s influence as leading a generation out of the “slavery” of secular humanism, toward liberty and faith.
• McCoy: “That bullet was loaded by the words of the left, the trigger was pulled by that individual...they were all complicit in this.” (86:45)
• Emphasizes Kirk’s purity, honesty, humility, and his commitment to Christian principles.
• Details Charlie’s influence internationally, his vision for Christian political engagement, and the importance of carrying the mantle.
• Emotional prayer for Erica (Charlie's widow), children, colleagues, and the broader community.

On Fighting and Not Becoming Pacifists

[107:22 – 112:18]

• Benny: “Should we all become pacifists? I think the Bible wouldn’t...we all like bend, you know, bow our head and...wait for the next terrorist to take, you know, who’s next? Or do we continue the fight?”
• McCoy counters with Romans 13, need for moral law as the foundation of civil law.
• Message to Jimmy Kimmel:

  “Charlie wasn’t your enemy. He looked at you as his opportunity... Your ideology was his enemy. But he saw you created in the image of God.” (end of Rob McCoy’s segment)

4. Trump/Right-Wing Triumph & Designating Antifa

[113:41 – 124:13]

• Benny celebrates Trump designating Antifa as a terrorist organization.
• Trump:

  “Antifa is terrible...When they spit, you hit. Do whatever you want. You do whatever the hell you want.” (119:53)

• Benny links the Kirk assassination to broader “left-wing violence” and the necessity of fighting back both rhetorically and through policy.

5. Cultural Reaction & Notable Moments

[124:13 – end]

• Benny plays a “salt the libs” segment, mocking CNN’s Brian Stelter lamenting Kimmel’s ouster.
• Stelter quote:

  “America is a less free place if late night comedians cannot do and say what they want. … This really does have a chilling effect across the American media.” (128:45)

• Benny insists this was not government censorship, but market and legal accountability via FCC and affiliates.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• Benny Johnson (on Kimmel):
  “What we did to Jimmy Kimmel is consequence culture. It is literally the free market acting upon Jimmy Kimmel.” (61:07)

• Donald Trump (on Kirk):
  "Just last week, a great American, Charlie Kirk, was heinously assassinated for speaking his mind. He was a great young man, incredible future." (15:10)

• Pastor Rob McCoy (on culture war):
  “Charlie was fearless, just like you are. And he knew every day with those threats that he was in danger. But his life belonged to God... Because in the absence of courage, truth is an orphan.” (81:15)

• On Free Speech:

  • Trump: “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else...” (43:59)
  • Starmer: “…free speech… is one of the founding values of the UK and we protect it jealously and fiercely and always will.” (34:15)

• Benny Johnson, on cancel vs. consequence culture:
  “Cancel culture is, ‘Your joke offended me, I’m so hurt by your joke... I defend Dave Chappelle… The left, it is the left that psychotically tries to cancel comedians and cancel people because of things they are offended about. I am not doing that to Jimmy Kimmel.’” (61:54)

Recurring Themes & Tone

• Militancy & Urgency: Recurrent calls for the right to “fight” and not cower or become passive, especially in the wake of political violence.

• Religious & Historical Framing: Frequent analogies to Christian scripture, especially Exodus, and America’s founding documents.

• Cultural Victories: Kimmel’s firing portrayed as a cultural win for conservatives; Trump’s state visit to the UK and designating Antifa as terrorism further affirm the narrative of rightward ascendency.

• Free Speech & Double Standards: The right, per Benny, is defending genuine free speech and open debate, as opposed to the left which is accused of weaponizing outrage and cancel culture.

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Benny and his audience see themselves as active agents shaping the culture war, with the Kimmel affair as a model for leveraging economic, political, and legal levers.
• The assassination of Charlie Kirk is framed as both tragedy and catalyst, signaling the need for renewed resolve and spiritual grounding.
• Emotional tribute and prayer underscore the gravity of Kirk’s loss and the hope invested in a new "Joshua generation."
• The right is counseled to remain vigilant, organize, and fight—ideologically, politically, and spiritually—for America’s soul.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is a galvanizing rally for Benny Johnson’s conservative audience, weaving breaking news, live political spectacle, culture war tactics, and emotionally charged memorials into a sweeping argument: that the right must seize the moment, honor their fallen leaders, and refuse to retreat in America’s ongoing political and moral struggle.

Key moments not to miss:

• Donald Trump’s tribute to Charlie Kirk (15:10)
• Benny’s “consequence culture” explanation (61:07)
• Pastor Rob McCoy’s extended eulogy and challenge to Christians (78:45 – 112:18)
• Trump and Starmer’s rare agreement on the horrors of Kirk’s assassination and defense of free speech (43:59 – 44:18)

For further context, tune into the livestream of Charlie Kirk’s memorial, referenced extensively throughout the episode.