Jason Bateman Defends Pal Jimmy Kimmel After ABC Suspension: ‘Freedom of Speech’

Jason Bateman came to pal Jimmy Kimmel’s defense after the late-night host’s show was suspended by ABC, calling for action.

“It’s troubling to say the least,” Bateman, 56, said during a Thursday, September 18, appearance on NBC’s Today. “We all have to really take a moment and figure out how we feel about this type of thing.”

While Bateman claimed he’s “not smart enough” to plan a movement, he added, “I’m sure there’s going to be some sort of collective move to respond to this.”

“I imagine there’s plenty of conversations going on to do something, because you just can’t stand by and let stuff like that go on,” he continued.

When host Craig Melvin pushed him to define “stuff”, the Ozark star added, “Well, Jimmy getting his show pulled for freedom of speech.”

ABC announced on Wednesday that it would be yanking Kimmel’s long-running talk show indefinitely after receiving pressure from the FCC and multiple station owners due to comments Kimmel, 57, made during Tuesday night’s episode about Charlie Kirk’s death.

The comedian has made it clear he was leaning towards not renewing his contract after his current agreement expires next year. However, amid his suspension, Kimmel is reportedly “actively looking for ways to get out of his contract.”