Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner, announced on Monday night that his campaign contacted WABC to reschedule a town hall event he had cancelled earlier in the day following its parent company, Disney’s, decision to reinstate late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after previously suspending him.
Mamdani made the announcement on social media following Disney/ABC’s reversal on Monday afternoon, just hours after he held a press conference revealing his decision to pull out of the town hall, a development first reported by amNewYork. He claimed the corporation’s change of heart as “a victory” for the freedom of speech.
“Last week, Disney/ABC caved to Trump administration pressure,” Mamdani wrote. “Millions of Americans helped them find their backbone. Whether you watch Jimmy Kimmel or not, today’s decision is a victory for free speech. We’ve reached out to WABC to reschedule the town hall.”
Disney/ABC said its decision to bring Kimmel’s show back, starting Tuesday night, came after they engaged in “thoughtful conversations” with him over the past few days.
The network had initially suspended Kimmel’s show after two owners of many of its affiliates, Nextstar and Sinclair, announced they would stop broadcasting it indefinitely last Wednesday, following threats from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr. Both Carr’s threats and their decision stemmed from right-wing backlash over comments Kimmel made about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which many on the right viewed as offensive.
The company’s move to suspend Kimmel drew immediate and widespread backlash from fellow late-night show hosts, celebrities, Democrats, and even some Republican free speech advocates.
Yet both Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would continue to boycott Kimmel’s show.
Mamdani had framed his announcement earlier Monday as a way to fight back against what he characterized as President Trump’s administration’s attempts to use Kirk’s death to clamp down on dissenting viewpoints.
“ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air after the FCC sought to pressure them,” Mamdani said during the news conference at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park on Roosevelt Island.
“The message that it sends to each and every American across this country is a message that the First Amendment is no longer a right that can be counted on, but rather that it is government which will determine what should and should not be discussed, what can and cannot be spoken,” he added. “And we cannot normalize these kinds of acts or offenses. These must be the basis upon which we act.”
The move made a major splash, catching attention from renowned entertainment industry trade publications including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
Cuomo hits Mamdani over cancellation
However, the campaign for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s best-positioned rival, attacked the frontrunner for initially dropping out of the town hall.
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi charged that it is another example of Mamdani dodging reporters since winning the Democratic primary.
“ABC suspending Kimmel was a big mistake, but refusing to talk to local reporters because of the actions of their parent company shouldn’t pass anyone’s smell test, and the press shouldn’t continue to give him a pass,” Azzopardi said in a statement. “Since the primary, Mamdani has been running from reporters and refusing to answer direct questions.”
Azzopardi named Mamdani’s past support for decriminalizing prostitution, criticism of the NYPD as racist, and call for seizing the means of production as areas where he is “refusing to answer direct questions.”
For his part, Mamdani has been vague about where he currently stands on decriminalizing sex work and said he would apologize to the NYPD for calling it racist.
Mamdani often holds several press availabilities a week, where he answers reporters’ questions. During the Democratic primary, when Cuomo was the frontrunner, he was often criticized for limiting his interactions with reporters and the public.
