Jimmy Kimmel’s cousin and longtime collaborator Sal Iacono hinted Sunday that the late-night TV host’s show may never return to the air following ABC’s abrupt suspension last week.
Appearing on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Iacono said he was treading carefully out of respect for staffers at Jimmy Kimmel Live! whose jobs are now in jeopardy, but suggested more revelations were on the way.
“I wish I could say anything. There are a couple bombshells still there,” he said. “I’m feeling good. We’re going to be all right. Everything’s going to be just fine.”
Simmons, who briefly wrote for the late-night program two decades ago, agreed that Kimmel would rebound regardless.
“He’ll be fine, whatever he wants to do,” Simmons said. “He might just want to be a pop-up chef and start making barbecue around the South Bay. He’ll do a great job.”
ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr and affiliate networks threatened the network over Kimmel’s monologue remarks about MAGA supporters’ reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Disney, ABC’s parent company, is reportedly still in discussions with Kimmel over the show’s future, and staff will continue to be paid in the interim.
Kimmel said that MAGA was trying to distance themselves from Robinson.
“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,” he said.
Iacono described the past week as “tumultuous,” recalling a family gathering where Kimmel’s teenage nephew finally broke the ice.
“My middle guy, Jack, who is a junior in high school, says, ‘Hey, some kids at school say it’s not right what happened to you,’” Iacono recounted. Kimmel’s reply: “Next time tell them, ‘I’m not too worried; my cousin Jimmy is an excellent dancer.’”
Still, Iacono acknowledged he was sitting on details he couldn’t yet share. “That’s all I have to say right now. I can’t really say anything,” he told Simmons. “You and I know too much. It’s very emotional.”
Simmons echoed the sentiment, suggesting the topic was better left alone until matters were resolved. “Not only our cousin, but all the people working for the show… it’s better if we’re not talking about this in any way.”
“When I can, I will,” Iacono added, leaving open the possibility of more disclosures in the days ahead.
It comes after musicians, including Sarah McLachlan and Jewel, pulled out of performing at the launch of a new Disney documentary as a result of Kimmel being gagged.
“We have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” McLachlan said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Kimmel and Disney have been contacted for comment.
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