Olivia Rodrigo lashed out over Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show being yanked off the air by ABC this week, calling out the ‘blatant censorship and abuse of power.’ 

On Saturday, the 22-year-old former Disney star addressed the controversy of the late night talk show host and joined the ranks of A-list celebrities coming to Kimmel’s defense.

She reposted SAG-AFTRA’s statement about his popular late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! being suspended and shared her thoughts on the ongoing situation.

Alongside the post, the pop star wrote that she was ‘so upset over this blatant censorship and abuse of power.’

Then, she added: ‘I stand with Jimmy Kimmel and I stand for freedom of speech.’

This comes amid news of Kimmel preparing for his sensational return to television after being suspended ‘indefinitely’ over his comments about Charlie Kirk.

Olivia Rodrigo lashed out over Jimmy Kimmel ‘s talk show cancellation, calling out the ‘blatant censorship and abuse of power’

On Saturday, the 22-year-old singer addressed the controversy of the late night talk show host and joined the ranks of A-list celebrities coming to Kimmel’s defense

Rodrigo got her big start in the industry when she was cast in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series in 2019.

After starring in three seasons of the show, she left in order to pursue her solo music career.

The star further collaborated with the company with her Disney+ documentary film titled Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U – which focused on the making of her album Sour.

Rodrigo has also been vocal about politics and publicly endorsed Kamala Harris last year ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

A few years earlier in 2021, she assisted the White House with efforts to promote younger people in the U.S. to get the COVID-19 vaccine amid the pandemic.

She also appeared to cosign David Letterman’s view on the situation over the weekend.

In addition to her earlier Instagram Story post, she re-shared a video of the comedian and retired television host weighing in on Kimmel’s suspension and likening Donald Trump’s presidency to autocracy.

‘You can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian — a criminal — administration in the Oval Office,’ he told The Atlantic during a live interview. ‘That’s just now how this works.’

She reposted SAG-AFTRA’s statement about his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! being canceled and shared her thoughts on the situation

Alongside the post, she wrote that she was ‘so upset over this blatant censorship and abuse of power’

Then, she added: ‘I stand with Jimmy Kimmel and I stand for freedom of speech’

Letterman also said the ‘managed media’ is ‘silly’ and ‘ridiculous.’

He also said CBS was ‘rude’ for their treatment of Stephen Colbert when they abruptly announced the forthcoming cancellation of The Late Show earlier this year too.

Letterman isn’t the only television host to speak up in defense of Kimmel.

After the news of his suspension broke, many other talk show hosts also used their platforms to rally behind their colleague in their Thursday night monologues.

Jimmy Fallon, the host of the Tonight Show, joked that ABC being pressured by the FCC to suspend Kimmel’s show left everyone in shock.

He also joked about his father texting him and sending condolences because they share the same first name.

Fallon also called Kimmel a ‘decent, funny and loving guy’ before doing a sarcastic bit praising and complimenting Trump.

Colbert — whose show will be taken off the air next May — opened with: ‘Tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel.’

He called it ‘blatant censorship’ to suspend a television host’s show and censor political satire.

This comes amid news of Kimmel preparing for his sensational return to television after being suspended ‘indefinitely’ over his comments about conservative political activist Charlie Kirk

She also appeared to cosign David Letterman’s view on the situation. In addition to her earlier Instagram Story post, she reshared a video of the comedian and retired television host weighing in on Kimmel’s suspension and likening Donald Trump’s presidency to autocracy

Letterman isn’t the only television host to speak up in defense of Kimmel. After the news of his suspension broke, many other talk show hosts also used their platforms to rally behind their colleague in their Thursday night monologues; pictured March 2024 in Los Angeles

Bringing up Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, he added: ‘With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch.’

He then called ABC naive for thinking one action will satisfy Trump before joking that they’ve never read the children’s book: If You Give a Mouse a Kimmel.’

He directly addressed Kimmel to say he stood behind him and also talked to FCC Chair Brendan Carr — who said broadcasters should oppose programming that do not meet ‘community values — as he said his community values include freedom of speech.

On Late Night, Seth Meyers also slammed the Trump administration for ‘pursuing a crackdown on free speech.’

He also sarcastically sang praise for Trump, calling him a ‘visionary, innovator, a great president, and an even better golfer.’

He also told Kimmel that he would continue to keep doing his show with ‘enthusiasm and integrity’ and called for people to stand up for freedom of expression and fight for democracy.