Members of Congress and Hollywood unions will rally in Hollywood on Monday, September 22, to defend Americans’ constitutional right to free speech and against the FCC’s threats and intimidation. ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel under pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has ignited a firestorm on both sides with even some Republicans saying he’s gone too far. WEHO is home to many in the Hollywood workforce including the historic production studio the Lot.
Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) is leading the event, joined by Reps. Ted Lieu, Judy Chu, Nanette Barragán, Gil Cisneros, and Brad Sherman. Writers, directors, and crew unions including the WGA, IATSE, Teamsters, and DGA are also expected to participate.
The rally begins at 11 a.m. outside the Dolby Theatre, across from the suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio. Organizers say the shutdown of the late-night show has disrupted jobs across Los Angeles’ creative economy, including many who live in West Hollywood.
Why It Matters for West Hollywood
West Hollywood is home to a large share of the region’s creative workforce, from writers and editors to crew members who rely on steady production schedules for their livelihoods. Many local residents are union members who would be directly affected by any long-term disruption in Hollywood’s production pipeline. The debate over federal pressure on broadcasters also raises broader questions about the future of political commentary, late-night television, and free expression in the entertainment capital.
For residents who live near the entertainment corridor, the rally also highlights the ongoing intersection between national politics and Hollywood labor. Congressional support for union voices could shape how disputes with the FCC and other regulatory bodies unfold in the coming months.
More Information
- Rep. Laura Friedman’s official site: frieden.house.gov
- Dolby Theatre location: Dolby Theatre on Google Maps
- Writers Guild of America: wga.org
An older man at Gelson’s just proclaimed that he wants Donald Trump to be killed. Is that the type of free speech that West Hollywood wants?
It’s illegal to threaten the President of the United States under federal law (18 U.S. Code § 871), which makes such threats a serious felony. A true threat is defined as any statement where a reasonable person would interpret it as a genuine threat to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm on the President. Such threats are aggressively investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. If what you claim is true, why did you NOT call the police ❓
A serious legal argument for a First Amendment violation can be made here that rests on the principle that the government CANNOT coerce a private entity into suppressing speech. In the 2024 case National Rifle Association (NRA) v. Vullo 602 US 175 (2024) the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the government’s use of “threats of legal sanctions and other coercion to suppress speech it doesn’t like violates the First Amendment.“
The first amendment right to free speech constrains only the government. You can limit speech in your home, your business, your employers and at schools. The people who signed Jimmy Kimmel’s paycheck didn’t like his free speech so they had every right to shut him up.
I know I was sick of it. I didn’t even watch his show but I still heard about it.
The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel was likely a case of government coercion violating his First Amendment rights, rather than a direct violation by his private employer, ABC. The First Amendment generally protects individuals from government censorship, not from actions taken by private companies. But, reports indicate that a Trump administration official used threats of government action to pressure ABC and its parent company, Disney, to suspend Kimmel.
Well, you’ve found a way to bring Trump into it!
His actions and open encouragement to government officials put himself into it ❗ The government CANNOT coerce a private entity into suppressing speech. In the 2024 case National Rifle Association (NRA) v. Vullo 602 US 175 (2024) the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the government’s use of “threats of legal sanctions and other coercion to suppress speech it doesn’t like violates the First Amendment.“
Jimmy Kimmel has his free speech. He just never owned the nationwide platform on which he used that free speech. Unfortunately for him and the shrinking audience that watched him, the people that owned the platform he used were no longer happy with him, not happy with what he said and not happy with his shrinking audience. Save the grandstanding. There were no protests when conservative voices lost their network jobs. So please, spare us.
There’s an apparent case of government pressure or coercion here because shortly after, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr (who wrote part of Project 2025) strongly asserted the FCC could take action against broadcasters carrying Kimmel’s show, telling a podcaster, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way“. He called Kimmel’s comments “truly sick” and stated that the FCC had a “strong case” to hold ABC & Disney accountable for misinformation.
How about some better policies? The D Party is so lost right now.
How are YOU participating in change???
Shaddup