Tongues are wagging over Apple TV+ benching “The Savant,” a new series following a hate-crime specialist tracking evil white men.
The Jessica Chastain vehicle was slated to debut on September 26. Now? There’s no new release date set. Why the dramatic move? Apple won’t exactly say, but many have suggested that the show features a Charlie Kirk-like figure painted in a negative light.
Well, we’ve seen the show’s first four episodes, and here’s the ugly truth. The series is ripped from a progressive’s fever dream, a tale completely disconnected from today’s headlines. Far from being awash in right-wing violence, we’re seeing the Left rise up in repulsive fury, from the assassination of Charlie Kirk to repeated attacks on ICE facilities and officials. And let’s not forget not one but two assassination attempts on Donald Trump.
Even The Atlantic and <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/28/left-wing-terrorism-far-right-violence-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a> begrudgingly admit political violence is now a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/09/charlie-kirk-left-wing-terrorism/684323/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Left-leaning problem.</a> So does <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1972331631622185255" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman.</a>
That makes “The Savant’s” release problematic, to use the Left’s vernacular.
Chastain plays Jodi Goodwin, an anti-hate specialist going digitally undercover to smoke out a network of white racists. She’s supposed to be so good at her job that she’s nicknamed The Savant. But really, she just knows how to use Google and impersonate a racist online.
She also poses as someone who happily rapes innocent women to impress would-be collaborators. The first few episodes find Jodi trying to earn the trust of a white supremacist (Pablo Schreiber) gathering a team to commit future violence.
We’re also shown many budding white supremacists glued to their phones to get their latest marching orders.
“The Savant” checks plenty of identity politics boxes. Our heroine is in an interracial marriage. Her boss, played by Michael Patrick Thornton, uses a wheelchair (as does the actor off-screen). Her good friend (Dagmara Dominczyk) is a lesbian about to have her first child with her partner. We even get a brief lecture on climate change. The far-left Southern Poverty Law Center, which <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-slams-splc-labelling-094021230.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9fz-2bDSEpBRzMDd4UR-7ykCkPfQfpu70OuyRrt3j4byjEGiYJ3tGZZOMNgKx5mQICLWu2lzofdi-_5RFeduexyS7EZfd74zFjiJkwBUN-GTzEmNG613Ev4_ZAoYBEHxv4XH70AONldMD0nHVsHaRm4uZa-6iw905c5TO7gsOH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted Turning Point USA</a> in recent years, also gets a shout-out.
The villains, of course, are uniformly white. They hate Jews, illegal immigrants, and people of color. They’re also not very bright, trusting people outside of their inner circle in ways that could easily lead to trouble.
Jodi’s choice of subjects is odd for someone trying to stop violent attacks across America. Has she read the news lately? Heck, you could write a whole season focusing on academia’s radical, pro-Palestinian movement or Antifa. Alas, the first four episodes of the eight-part series show nothing beyond evil white supremacists.
Of course, Hollywood would never make a story implicating progressive radicals. With few exceptions, celebrities won’t even bring up academia’s ghoulish Hamas-friendly protests.
“The Savant” isn’t tagging the on-screen villains as conservatives, per se. There are no sucker-punch style markers like red MAGA hats or Ted Nugent concert tees. Party labels aren’t included here, either, and Jodi’s husband (Nnamdi Asomugha) is an active military member. That restraint is surprising, but audiences will connect enough dots on their own.
This isn’t the first time Hollywood has had second thoughts about releasing violent content due to current events. The 2020 film “The Hunt” got bumped based on its incendiary subject matter and recent mass shooting headlines around its initial 2019 release date. The film followed a band of progressive elites hunting conservatives for sport.
The actual film wasn’t as bombastic as that plotline suggests, finding fault on both sides and attacking our growing partisan fury. It proved controversial enough to coax Universal to delay its release, and President Trump’s <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/03/10/the-hunt-controversy-explained-why-trump-hates-this-movie/5003993002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comments</a> on the film fanned the flames.
More recently, Comedy Central <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/charlie-kirk-south-park-pulled-comedy-central-1236515229/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulled a recent episode</a> of “South Park” satirizing Kirk. The late conservative icon had seen the show in question and praised it, proving he had a better sense of humor than his critics imagined.
Some media outlets did the ol’ “just asking questions” bit regarding “The Savant’s” benching, suggesting fear of President Trump forced Apple to delay the show’s release. That came after media outlets falsely blamed the president for removing Jimmy Kimmel from his ABC late-night perch.
There’s zero proof of that, but the chin-stroking speculation happened all the same. Here’s Variety, admitting it’s <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/columns/apple-postponing-savant-charlie-kirk-huge-mistake-1236527471/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making up the Trump connection</a> in its opening paragraph.
In a shocking decision, Apple TV+ has postponed the premiere of the Jessica Chastain drama series “The Savant,” offering another chilling example of how business giants are running scared of the Trump administration, and bowing to pressure before it even exists [emphasis added]. The series had been scheduled to premiere on September 26.
Maybe we need a series about serial media malfeasance. That could be released on virtually any date these days and retain its relevance.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The_Savant_Photo_010301

We Watched AppleTV+’s Cancelled Political Drama. It’s Clear Why They Pulled It.

Apple

Charlie Kirk

Hollywood

Political Violence

Television

Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said he and other members of the company are glad Jimmy Kimmel was put back on the air because it ensures he no longer has “martyr” status.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want Jimmy Kimmel to be a martyr. He doesn&#8217;t deserve it. He&#8217;s a liar, he&#8217;s an unrepentant liar, but he should not be considered a martyr by anybody,&#8221; Kolvet <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/turning-point-didnt-want-jimmy-kimmel-canceled-because-abcs-liar-doesnt-deserve-martyr">told</a> Fox News Digital in a newly published interview.
Kimmel’s late night show was suspended for less than a week after comments he made about the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10. This led to the Left having absolute meltdowns about free speech and suggesting that the Trump administration had orchestrated the show’s suspension.
Kolvet says the best way to deal with someone like Kimmel is to let them keep lying and keep getting terrible ratings, which will eventually lead to their shows getting canceled.
&#8220;It&#8217;s important that when people lie, and they lie in that type of setting and that platform about such a huge event, that there are real consequences. And I think the best consequence would be that people just tune out,&#8221; he told the outlet. &#8220;People refuse to watch a liar on TV and that when the ratings come up and the P&amp;L statement, ABC reviews it, that they just say, ‘Hey, this isn&#8217;t worth continuing.’&#8221;
&#8220;When that happens, I don&#8217;t think that he&#8217;s gonna be able to blame us for it. I think he&#8217;s just gonna have to blame himself and his own choices, and when that happens, I&#8217;m not gonna be sad about it,&#8221; Kolvet added.
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Kimmel’s return last Tuesday evening drew a record-breaking 6.3 million viewers, more than triple his regular audience. By Thursday, those numbers had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmels-ratings-spike-crashes-back-down-to-his-usual-terrible-numbers?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Jimmy+Kimmel%E2%80%99s+Ratings+Spike+Crashes+Back+Down+To+His+Usual+Terrible+Numbers">dropped by 64%</a>, leveling off at 2.3 million.
Kolvet said he’s been most upset to hear the narrative that political violence is &#8220;equally as extreme whether it&#8217;s on the Right or the Left.&#8221;
&#8220;I think that&#8217;s why I keyed in on the Jimmy Kimmel saga because he tried to lie to his audience and tell us that it was actually somebody from the Right that killed Charlie and that&#8217;s just simply not true,&#8221; Kolvet said.
&#8220;There&#8217;s no facts that back that up,&#8221; he told Fox News Digital. &#8220;And that strikes me as a really fundamental problem because … if you feel you can go into that platform and lie brazenly … that says that you don&#8217;t care about us as humans. That tells me that you think that we are worth smearing, slandering, lying about and dehumanizing people. And that&#8217;s how we get this violence in the first place.&#8221;
The saga began last month when Kimmel was accused of slandering conservatives when he suggested Kirk’s assassin was part of the “MAGA gang,” despite authorities saying otherwise. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
While the host addressed the controversy during his return monologue, many viewers, including Kolvet, found his comments to be insincere. The TPUSA spokesperson called Kimmel an “unrepentant liar.”

Jimmy Kimmel

Turning Point Spokesman Says He’s Glad ‘Liar’ Kimmel Is Back On TV So He’s Not A ‘Martyr’

Entertainment

Turning Point USA

U.S.

Elon Musk confirmed that he would cancel his Netflix subscription after clips of animated shows aimed at children featuring pro-trans content started circulating on X.
Musk posted on X, “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids,” on Wednesday, which included a cartoon of the “transgender woke agenda” inside a Trojan horse.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids <a href="https://t.co/uPcGiURaCp">https://t.co/uPcGiURaCp</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1973292474375479556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The billionaire Tesla founder also <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1973101319222165785">commented</a> “Same” to someone on X who wrote, “Just cancelled my Netflix subscription. If you employ someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids&#8230;you will NEVER get a dime of my money. It&#8217;s as simple as that.”
This was after clips from multiple shows marketed to children ages seven and up were being shared on X. The short-lived series “Dead End Paranormal Park,” a Netflix original that aired 20 episodes across two seasons in 2022, featured a storyline in which the main character claimed to be transgender.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
OMG. Dead End Paranormal Park, a show on Netflix, is pushing pro-transgender on CHILDREN.
This show is advertised for 7-YEAR-OLDS
It’s being promoted on <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@netflix</a> kids now.
Parents- BEWARE <a href="https://t.co/gh5UZftKns">pic.twitter.com/gh5UZftKns</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1972756249986126260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another clip going viral was part of the animated show “Ridley Jones,” which includes Fred, the non-binary cow, fretting over using a “different name and pronouns” for the first time since last seeing his grandmother.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
ANOTHER kids&#8217; show on Netflix is pushing pro-trans propaganda with the use of pronouns
This show, Ridley Jones, is targeted towards 7-YEAR-OLDS
Parents, do you know what your children are watching? <a href="https://t.co/YMFpWf7qwk">pic.twitter.com/YMFpWf7qwk</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1973050371300868281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Chaya Raichik, who runs the popular account Libs of TikTok, has been leading the charge to expose the content of these shows and has been reposting many screenshots of users proving they canceled their Netflix subscriptions, too. 
She also noted that Hamish Steele, the trans-identified creator of the show “Dead End Paranormal Park,” made vulgar comments on Bluesky following the assassination of Charlie Kirk last month.
“Why the f*** are you even commenting on this d***head? You [sic] sympathy for any of the families being slaughtered by your weapons but a random nazi gets shot and its a public statement. You’re such a f***ing evil sh**,” Steele’s alleged message said.
The post has since been deleted, but screenshots allegedly show Steele was replying to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, offering condolences after Kirk’s murder.
Steele has addressed the controversy in a few posts on Bluesky, writing, 
“It&#8217;s all lies and slander! Netflix is NOT promoting [the show] at the moment!” 
A few hours later, the series creator wrote, “I have mostly been very ok today and found it all quite funny, while really appreciating everyone who has reached out, but the extremely nasty weird [homophobic] and antisemitic emails have started rolling in and it is getting a little scary so I apologise if I take longer to respond to stuff.” 
Steele also referenced backlash following the surfacing of the post about Kirk, writing, “My Instagram comments are now flooded with replies saying I AM CHARLIE KIRK and that I celebrated his death (which I never did).”

Elon Musk

Elon Musk Says He Will Cancel Netflix Subscription Over Trans Propaganda Aimed At Children

Elon Musk, Others Say They're Canceling Netflix Over Trans Propaganda Aimed At Children

Animation

Libs of Tik Tok

Netflix

Transgender

Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t help but gloat about his post-suspension viewership spike, going so far as to publicly thank President Donald Trump for making it all possible. But after a very brief ratings boost, those numbers have come crashing back down to normal.
The ABC late-night host was temporarily taken off the air after comments he made about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. After a suspension that lasted less than a week, Kimmel returned to the air with a tearful non-apology, whining about how his words must have been misconstrued.
Kimmel’s return last Tuesday evening drew a record-breaking 6.3 million viewers, more than triple his regular audience. By Thursday, those numbers had dropped by 64%, leveling off at 2.3 million.
In the coveted demographic of viewers aged 25-54, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” dropped from 1.7 million viewers on Tuesday to 465,000 on Thursday, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/media/jimmy-kimmel-sheds-64-of-audience-after-short-lived-ratings-spike-following-suspension/">The New York Post</a>.
The saga began earlier this month when Kimmel was accused of slandering conservatives when he suggested Kirk’s assassin was part of the “MAGA gang,” despite authorities saying otherwise. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
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While the host addressed the controversy during his return monologue, many viewers found his comments to be insincere, noting that he stopped short of apologizing for what he had said.
“Kimmel is an unrepentant liar who tried to blame Charlie’s assassination on the part of the country that just spent the last 2 weeks praying and holding vigils,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said in response, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unrepentant-liar-charlie-kirks-team-is-not-buying-jimmy-kimmels-crocodile-tears">reported</a>. “What he’s really saying is that he still thinks it’s fair game to slander conservatives. He would rather advance his own political and cultural agenda than confront the truth.”
Kolvet added, “It’s critical that liars admit they lied. There can be no restoration without that. Anything short of that is a fake and scripted cry line designed to endear him to his fans, not to make right the wrong he committed.”
The Left is exploiting Kimmel’s suspension to push the narrative that free speech is under siege and to fault the Trump administration for silencing critics. But others have noted how ABC made a business decision to suspend Kimmel, which they were well within their rights to do.

Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Spike Crashes Back Down To His Usual Terrible Numbers

Jimmy Kimmel Viewership Spike Crashes Back Down To Terrible Numbers As Usual

Donald Trump

Media

NBC police procedural &#8220;Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit&#8221; joined Democrats in continuing to paint Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as villains who have nothing better to do than to pluck innocent immigrants off the streets for their own nefarious purposes.
In an episode that ran Thursday — just hours after a shooter targeted and opened fire upon an ICE facility in Texas — NYPD detectives squared off against ICE agents in an effort to keep them from deporting an illegal immigrant who was a key witness in a rape case.
Newsbusters <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/elise-ehrhard/2025/09/27/nbcs-law-order-svu-portrays-ice-agents-villains-allowing">detailed the episode</a> in question, titled &#8220;In the Wind.&#8221; It features an illegal immigrant named Jorge Ruiz, who is working as a building superintendent — and who has identified the suspect in a rape case. When detectives arrive to question him about the suspect, an ICE raid is already in progress. For the rest of the episode — which frames ICE as the bad guys preventing police officers from effectively investigating the rape case and then further complicating the prosecution against the alleged rapist — the NYPD and ICE agents are at odds.
The episode comes to a head when Captain Olivia Benson (played by Mariska Hargitay) is arrested when she orders her detectives to arrest Ruiz in an effort to hold him as a material witness and prevent ICE from taking him into custody.
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&#8220;Captain, ICE is on the way up,&#8221; one detective tells Benson.
&#8220;What?&#8221; she asks.
&#8220;How do they know?&#8221; Ruiz asks.
&#8220;Come. There&#8217;s a back stairway,&#8221; Benson tries to help Ruiz avoid the federal agents.
&#8220;No, wait. Don&#8217;t try that,&#8221; Assistant District Attorney Sonny Carisi warns her.
&#8220;Can they do this?&#8221; one detective asks.
&#8220;They don&#8217;t have a warrant,&#8221; another protests.
&#8220;Doesn&#8217;t matter. They&#8217;re Feds,&#8221; Carisi explains.
&#8220;So they take our witness, and we can&#8217;t do anything about it?&#8221; one asks.
&#8220;Hold on a second. I need you to trust me. Can you do that? Velasco, arrest him,&#8221; Benson says, indicating Ruiz.
She then tells the ICE agents that Ruiz is in the custody of the NYPD and cannot be removed until he testifies — at which point the agents arrest her for interfering in federal immigration matters. She is eventually released, however, and Ruiz is allowed to testify.
The writers could not resist taking just one more jab at federal immigration officials when the illegal immigrant is finally brought into the courtroom. ICE agents interrupt the proceedings, only to be reprimanded by the judge hearing the case.
&#8220;No, not in my courtroom. Jimmy, tell them they can wait outside, but they are not welcome here,&#8221; the judge declares.
ICE agents, in just the last eight months, have faced a nearly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reprehensible-assaults-on-ice-agents-skyrocket-up-830-over-last-year">1000% increase</a> in attacks on themselves and their families. A number have blamed the media and Democrats for continuously pointing to ICE agents as villains, thugs, and worse.

The WMC 2023 Women’s Media Awards

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Joins ICE-Bashing Party, Paints Agents As Thugs Who Protect Rapists

'Law & Order: SVU' Joins ICE-Bashing Party, Paints Agents As Thugs Who Protect Rapists

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Law Enforcement

Rape

The National Security Advisor during President Donald Trump&#8217;s first term said he was asked to go on CBS&#8217;s “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert in 2024, but only if he would denounce Trump and tell the audience not to vote for him.
Retired United States Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster made the revelation during a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OAiiaiGMVI&amp;list=PLKruweaZqDNetb7uwJF1vS0mzmaTe8Kzg&amp;index=1">episode</a> of the GoodFellows podcast, a weekly Hoover Institution broadcast. Moderator Bill Whalen mentioned that late shows have “drifted to the Left,” which prompted McMaster&#8217;s response.
“When my book ‘At War With Ourselves’ came out, my publicist said, &#8216;Hey, you know, the Stephen Colbert show said you could come on, but if you come on you have to condemn President Trump and recommend that nobody vote for him,&#8217;” McMaster said.
The retired lieutenant general said it was an “easy choice” to decide against the appearance, but noted how it points to the political sway of late-night programs in general.
“I don’t know if it was just a producer or if it was Stephen Colbert directly, but you know, there has been this orthodoxy that has gripped late-night television. So many of these monologues, honestly…they’re just like diatribes. They’re not funny. Which might be why the ratings are going down.”
The controversy over late-night shows and free speech has reached a fever pitch, with leftists crying &#8220;censorship&#8221; and conservatives pointing out that this has been happening to right-wing entertainers for years. ABC&#8217;s late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, was briefly taken off the air for spreading false information about Charlie Kirk&#8217;s suspected assassin.
All the other major late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Jon Stewart, spoke out in support of Kimmel, but are being labeled as hypocrites by anyone who noticed that they had previously been in favor of conservatives being silenced for perceived slights. 
Clips of Kimmel joking about Roseanne Barr&#8217;s show getting canceled for controversial comments went viral just after he was suspended, with followers pointing out the blatant hypocrisy. Kimmel can also be seen celebrating President Trump being banned from X and Tucker Carlson getting fired from Fox News.
McMaster said the answer isn’t government “crackdowns,” but letting low ratings bury the shows.
Representatives from &#8216;The Late Show&#8217; did not respond to a request for comment.

Donald Trump/Stephen Colbert

Free Speech? Former White House Official Says Colbert Would Only Book Him If He Trashed Trump

Former White House Official Says Colbert Would Only Book Him If He Trashed Trump

Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster

Politics

Stephen Colbert

Apple TV is postponing a scheduled series that focused on domestic terrorism due to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, leaving the audience to speculate what was in the series that would have been so damaging to release.
“The Savant,” a scripted series starring Jessica Chastain, was initially slated to premiere on Friday.
 “After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/apple-tv-plus-delays-the-savant-after-charlie-kirk-murder-1236378128/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Savant — Official Trailer | Apple TV+" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UYQiGBupM8I?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The show has been in the works for two years. It draws inspiration from the 2019 Cosmopolitan article, “<a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a28483247/is-it-possible-to-stop-a-mass-shooting-before-it-happens/">Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?</a>” The piece is about an investigator referred to as “The Savant,” who stops violent men from carrying out attacks before they occur.
The show deals with politically motivated attacks, though it appears likely that it was more focused on political violence from the Right side of the political spectrum. The article the show is based on makes numerous mentions of the &#8220;alt-right&#8221; and &#8220;white supremacists.&#8221; The man accused of murdering Kirk, Tyler Robinson, was reportedly living with a transgender-identifying male partner, with Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox saying that the suspect was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”
Chastain, who also serves as executive producer, says she disagrees with the decision to postpone the show. 
“I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. They’ve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team,” Chastain wrote. “That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that we’re not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant.”
“In the last five years since we’ve been making the show, we’ve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States,” she wrote, going on to list various events, including January 6 and the assassination attempts on President Donald Trump. 
“These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted. I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is. The Savant is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever.”
“While I respect Apple’s decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when The Savant is released,” she concluded.

Apple Postpones Drama On Political Mass Shootings Following Charlie Kirk Assassination

Comedian Roseanne Barr is voicing her frustration with Jimmy Kimmel&#8217;s return on Tuesday night after being suspended for less than a week due to controversial comments, claiming that when a similar situation happened to her, it ruined her “whole life.”
&#8220;It just shows how they think. I got my whole life ruined, no forgiveness, all of my work stolen, and called a racist for time and eternity, for racially misgendering someone,&#8221; the sitcom star told NewsNation during an interview on Tuesday. &#8220;It&#8217;s a double standard.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Roseanne Barr calls Jimmy Kimmel&#039;s return to ABC a &#039;double standard&#039; | Elizabeth Vargas Reports" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/as8M5ruHPaA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&nbsp;
Despite strong ratings, Barr was written off &#8220;The Conners&#8221; in 2018 after she tweeted that former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett looked like the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood &amp; Planet of the Apes.&#8221;
Barr deleted the post and apologized, but her career and reputation were permanently damaged. 
Barr claimed that at the time, Kimmel &#8220;called me a racist even though I said repeatedly, which they repeatedly censored, that it was a mistake. I thought that the woman was a white woman from Iran.&#8221; 
Jarrett was born in Iran to black parents.
She added that Kimmel &#8220;called me a racist even though he himself appeared in blackface on their network many times.&#8221;
Kimmel just returned to his late-night show following a six-day suspension that came after comments he made about the individual who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said, which prompted his show to be taken off the air temporarily.
The late-night host was back after six days, with Disney reps saying, “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
During his first monologue Tuesday night following the suspension, Kimmel referenced his comments about the Kirk assassination but did not apologize for them.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said as he became audibly emotional. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for what was the actions … of an obviously deeply disturbed individual.”
Kimmel previously apologized for appearing in blackface, saying in a 2020 statement, &#8220;There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.&#8221;

Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Argues Kimmel’s Return Exposes ‘Double Standard’: ‘I Got My Whole Life Ruined’

Celebrities

Censorship

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel made his return to television Tuesday night after almost one week of suspension.
He started out his monologue by thanking the audience and other late night hosts and fans for reaching out during his suspension.
Kimmel also addressed the comments that got him suspended in the first place &#8212; though notably, he never actually apologized.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said as he started becoming visibly emotional. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for what was the actions … of an obviously deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some that felt either ill timed or unclear or maybe both, and to those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset.”
“I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. I think this was a sick person who believed violence was a solution,” he added.
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Kimmel went on a rant about free speech, said it was “un-American” to take certain shows off the air, then equated his show being removed with Stephen Colbert’s “The Tonight Show” getting canceled, despite indications that the two situations were totally different.
The late night host went hard after President Trump, accusing him of not being able to “take a joke” and saying he wanted most late night shows to get canceled. Meanwhile, he played a clip of Trump saying he believed Kimmel had “no talent” as a way to prove that the president was trying to control free speech.
Later in the monologue, Kimmel also mentioned Kirk’s widow, Erika, forgiving her husband’s assassin during the memorial service over the weekend. Kimmel got emotional again when discussing her speech, calling her act of forgiveness “a selfless act of grace.” 
“That is an example we should follow,” Kimmel said.
The entertainment industry was in an uproar after Kimmel’s show was taken off the air last week over statements he made about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk.
Even though “Jimmy Kimmel Live” came back Tuesday night, it was limited in distribution and still preempted in certain markets.
That’s because major media players Sinclair and Nexstar both announced they still would not be airing new episodes of Kimmel’s show. The two broadcast companies own or control nearly 80 ABC affiliates between them.
While Nexstar called Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s alleged killer “ill-timed and insensitive,” Disney backtracked on their original stance after enduring days of extreme backlash from fans and celebrities.
&#8220;We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,&#8221; Disney said earlier this week.
Kimmel was taken off the air due to comments he made about the accused assassin of Kirk.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
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JIMMY KIMMEL

Jimmy Kimmel Returns, Addresses Charlie Kirk Comments In Teary Non-Apology

Broadcasting

“Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van Der Beek sent a video message to fans during the show’s reunion to make up for not being able to attend.
The 48-year-old celeb was forced to drop out of the event at the last minute due to a stomach illness. Van Der Beek has been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since last year, as he previously announced.
“I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together,” the “Dawson’s Creek” alum said in the recorded message, per <a href="https://people.com/james-van-der-beek-makes-surprise-appearance-dawsons-creek-reunion-after-canceling-due-illness-11815128">People</a>. “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person.”
“And just I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight,” Van Der Beek continued. “From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you – you are the best fans in the world.”
&#8220;Thank you for coming. It&#8217;s just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And, obviously, on &#8216;Dawson&#8217;s Creek,&#8217; I had no understudy, but this is Broadway, and I needed one. So we figured we&#8217;d try to find somebody who had never understudied in this theater before.&#8221;
The actor had “Hamilton” creator Lin Manuel Miranda take his place at the event, which included a live table read of the pilot episode. The original cast was all in attendance, including Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and several others.
Van Der Beek’s wife and children were also in the audience at Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.
The star of the teen drama previously warned fans he wouldn’t be able to make the event with a social media post.
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“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January,” Van Der Beek shared to Instagram on Monday.
“So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment. Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most.”

James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek Sends Video Message To ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion After Illness Knocks Him Out

Cancer

New York City

Nexstar Media Group confirmed on Tuesday that it will not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on its ABC affiliates despite the show’s suspension being lifted.
The entertainment industry has been in an uproar since Kimmel’s show was taken off the air last week over statements he made about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk. Now the show is coming back, but it won’t air on ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar. 
This announcement comes just one day after Sinclair Broadcast Group, another major ABC station owner, took the same stance.
“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse,” Nexstar said in a statement, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/23/media/nexstar-refuses-to-air-jimmy-kimmels-return-to-abc-over-charlie-kirk-controversy/">The New York Post</a>. 
“We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
Network contracts with TV station groups typically include a “right to reject” clause, granting local affiliates the authority to preempt programs that they deem harmful to public interest or their audiences. But this clause is rarely used, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/business/media/jimmy-kimmel-nexstar-sinclair-boycott.html">reported</a>.
Kimmel was taken off the air following backlash to comments he made about the accused assassin of Kirk. 
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
Shortly after his comments went viral, both Nexstar and Sinclair announced plans to preempt the late-night show. The two broadcast companies own or control nearly 80 ABC affiliates between them.
Last Wednesday, FCC chair Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel’s comments, leading many to speculate that Kimmel’s show was pulled due to government pressure.
Multiple petitions and protests were ongoing. Kimmel made no public statements, but was reportedly seen visiting his attorney, according to multiple reports.

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Another Broadcasting Company Refuses To Air Kimmel’s Show

“Jimmy Kimmel Live” will return to the air on Tuesday after being suspended last week, Disney announced on Monday.
&#8220;Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,&#8221; a Disney spokesperson <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/disney-announces-jimmy-kimmel-live-returning-tuesday-after-suspension">told</a> Fox News Digital in a statement.
Kimmel’s suspension caused a complete uproar in the Hollywood community and across social media as critics accused the network of “censorship” and squashing free speech.
The comments from Kimmel that prompted the suspension included the host falsely claiming that Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA supporter. Investigators say that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man arrested for Kirk’s killing, was deeply steeped in leftist ideology and disliked the conservative commentator for his beliefs.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said during his show last week.
The late-night host’s suspension came amid pressure from broadcast companies that own ABC affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, who pulled the show from their stations.
Last Wednesday, FCC chair Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel’s comments, leading many to assume that Kimmel’s show was pulled due to government pressure.
Multiple petitions and protests were ongoing. Kimmel made no public statements, but was seen visiting his attorney, per multiple reports. Other late night hosts came out with full fury in support of their colleague, with Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, and others saying the suspension was wrong.
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner also came out publicly against the suspension.
Meanwhile, many people observed that Kimmel’s ratings have been less than stellar for a while, leading them to speculate that the suspension was about more than a single issue.

Disney Caves, Will Let Jimmy Kimmel Return To Air On Tuesday

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Disney

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