Damon Lindelof just threw a Hollywood-sized wrench at Disney. The Emmy-winning creator behind Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmen says he won’t work with Disney until Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on air, turning a late-night flap into a full-blown industry standoff.
ABC pulled Kimmel off the air after his Monday monologue torched Republicans for spinning the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk into political ammo. That critique sparked a conservative pile-on, including saber-rattling from FCC chair Brendan Carr, and a revolt from affiliates, most notably Nexstar, which announced it would preempt Kimmel “for the foreseeable future.” Disney blinked, and the show went dark.
‘LOST’ creator Damon Lindelof says he will not work for Disney until Jimmy Kimmel is reinstated on his show.
Other major talent are also considering similar pledges for Kimmel.
(Source: @MattBelloni) pic.twitter.com/CBgWCvLcGs
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 18, 2025
Lindelof’s response was swift and scorching. “I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon,” he wrote, adding that if it isn’t, he “can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it.” He closed with a note to his friend Kimmel: “You’ve ALWAYS known what you were doing. Love you and support you.” The message lit up industry group chats and may be the spark that ignites a broader creative boycott.
He’s not shouting into a void. Industry insiders have signaled that other A-listers are weighing similar pledges, while a chorus of big names, spanning the political spectrum, torched the suspension as a free-speech face-plant. Even right-leaning comics like Andrew Schulz blasted conservatives for cheering a takedown they’d normally label “cancel culture.”
A message from #LOST co-creator, Damon Lindelof who says he won’t work with #Disney again unless and until Jimmy Kimmel’s show is reinstated. pic.twitter.com/EtmD4U1B6K
— Oceanic 815 Greg (@oz_greg) September 18, 2025
This firestorm didn’t appear out of nowhere. The country is still raw after the on-stage assassination of Kirk at Utah Valley University, a killing that prosecutors say was carried out by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who allegedly told officials he targeted Kirk because he “spreads too much hate.” Lawmakers are now passing resolutions and delivering floor speeches that only crank up the temperature.
Inside Disney, nerves are reportedly shredded. After Nexstar yanked the show from 30-plus markets and Carr hinted there might be “additional work for the FCC ahead” if companies didn’t “take action,” ABC opted to shelve Kimmel and plug the hole with game-show reruns, an extraordinary step for a flagship late-night franchise. President Trump celebrated the move and called for rival hosts to be axed next, escalating the political stakes.
The question now: who blinks? Lindelof is no fringe figure; he’s a bankable storyteller with a deep Disney resume (Tomorrowland, a long relationship with ABC via Lost). If other creators follow his lead, Disney risks a talent freeze at a time when every streamer and studio is scrapping for hits. For a company that sells itself on creativity, a creative boycott is a brand crisis.
Jimmy Kimmel isn’t funny
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 6, 2017
There’s also the slippery-slope problem. If a late-night joke, however caustic, can trigger affiliate revolts and regulatory rattling, every network host is now one controversy away from the bench. That’s a chilling memo to writers’ rooms and monologue desks nationwide, and a potential legal headache if viewpoint-based pressure is found to be driving broadcast decisions.
For now, Hollywood is watching Disney. Lindelof drew a bright line. If Disney steps back over it, the show goes on. If not, the company may learn the hard way what happens when storytellers decide to change the channel.
