Chaos erupted behind the scenes as Jimmy Kimmel’s defeated staff packed up their gear in silence, faces heavy with shock | HO~

Miserable Jimmy Kimmel staff pack up gear as sidekick Guillermo dodges questions and host escapes in SUV moments after show pulled off air

Jimmy Kimmel‘s sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez was seen dodging questions as he and other staff fled the studio after ABC ‘indefinitely’ suspended the late night talk show on Wednesday.

The veteran host’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be removed from the network for the foreseeable future, over his divisive comments regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

This drastic move comes after Kimmel, 57, falsely insinuated that the man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, 22, was a conservative. Instead, investigators say Robinson held far-left ideologies and was dating his transgender roommate.

Rodriguez – who began appearing on the late night talk show in 2003 – was seen driving out of the studio in Hollywood with people gathered nearby.

However, he evaded questions about Kimmel being pulled off the air by keeping his windows rolled up.

Staff of the Jimmy Kimmel Show! were also seen leaving the studio with their gear in tow on Wednesday.

Jimmy Kimmel’s sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez was seen dodging questions as he and other staff fled the studio after ABC ‘indefinitely’ suspended the late night talk show on Wednesday

Controversial late-night host Jimmy’s show will be removed from the network ‘for the foreseeable future,’ over his divisive comments regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk

Rodriguez had initially been a parking lot security guard for the late night talk show – but was offered to appear on the series when he was discovered sleeping inside the car of announcer Dicky Barrett.

After turning down the offer initially, he eventually decided to make an appearance following a conversation with one of the show’s producers.

Rodriguez took part in skits on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and became the comedian’s sidekick on the talk show.

Kimmel was reportedly set to address his controversial remarks on his show Wednesday night, before he received news that he had been axed, according to Deadline.

He is now said to be livid over the sudden change of plans.

Hollywood unions SAG-AFTRA and WGA showed their support for Kimmel — who is a member of both — in light of the news, as per Deadline.

‘SAG-AFTRA condemns the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on,’ a statement from the acting guild read.

‘Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms. SAG-AFTRA stands with all media artists and defends their right to express their diverse points of view, and everyone’s right to hear them.’

The Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East also condemned the decision.

‘The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.’

However, he evaded questions about Kimmel being pulled off the air by keeping his windows rolled up

Staff of the Jimmy Kimmel Show! were also seen leaving the studio with their gear in tow on Wednesday

Crew wheeled equipment through a back parking lot near the El Capitan Theater

A sleek black SUV believed to be holding Kimmel was also spotted exiting the studio after ABC pulled his talk show off the air

Protestors were seen standing outside of the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood as they reacted to the news of Kimmel’s suspension on Wednesday

‘As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to – painful as it may be at times – is the freeing agreement to disagree. Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.’

The television personality’s remarks had caught instant flak from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, who told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson earlier on Wednesday that he was considering an investigation into Kimmel and his network ABC for his claims.

‘When you look at the conduct that has taken place by Jimmy Kimmel, it appears to be some of the sickest conduct possible,’ Carr told Johnson.

‘As you’ve indicated, there are avenues here for the FCC, so there… are some ways in which I need to be a little bit careful because we could be called ultimately to be a judge on some of these claims that come up,’ Carr said.

Following the news of Kimmel’s cancelation, Carr told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he was simply ‘suffering the consequences’ of his actions.

He accused the networks of subsidizing late night talk shows, and said that the FCC expects them ‘to broadly serve the public interests’ as he faces an internal divide at the agency – which is leaving him and his former protege Nathan Simington trying to curry favor with President Donald Trump.

‘I’m very glad to see that America’s broadcasters are standing up to serve the interest of their community,’ Carr said, after arguing that late night hosts are ‘enforcing a very narrow political ideology.’

Kimmel’s comments about Robinson came during his Monday night monologue.

‘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,’ the host said.

Kirk, 31, had been shot and killed at Utah Valley University on September 10 – in front of an audience of 3,000 horrified spectators – Kimmel reacted to his death online.

Shortly after the shooting, Kimmel wrote on social media: ‘Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?’ Kimmel wrote.

‘On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.’

But he appeared to change his tune before his monologue on Monday.

Kirk (pictured with his family) was a co-founder of the political nonprofit Turning Point USA

Soon after the Donald Trump ally (pictured), 31, was fatally shot in the neck on the Orem campus – in front of an audience of 3,000 horrified spectators – Kimmel reacted to his death online

Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been a network staple for more than 22 years.

In response to Kimmel’s remarks, Carr floated the idea of suspending the host – one of several prospective ‘remedies’ for the situation, he said.

At one point, Johnson asked Carr what kind of action he thought should be taken, proposing an on-air apology from Kimmel.

‘I think what you said there strikes me as a very reasonable, minimal step that can be taken,’ Carr replied.

ABC’s decision to pull the show came shortly after its affiliate group, Nexstar, also announced it would stop airing it effective immediately.

‘Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,’ the company wrote on Wednesday.

Nexstar’s broadcasting division President Andrew Alford blasted Kimmel’s comments as ‘offensive and insensitive.’

In reaction to Nextstar’s move to axe Kimmel, both Johnson and Carr posted celebratory sentiments on X.

‘Great job @NXSTMediaGroup. Thank you for standing up for Charlie,’ Johnson wrote.

Carr told podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday he was considering an investigation into Kimmel

‘Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?’ the Jimmy Kimmel Live host wrote on Instagram

The largest station group in the country has a major merger proposal before the Trump administration – its proposed acquisition of Tegna – which must be approved by Carr.

If the merger were to go through, Nexstar would have 265 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, representing 80 percent of US television households, according to Deadline.

Another major merger between Paramount and Skydance had been criticized by fellow late night television host Stephen Colbert just days before CBS announced it was canceling his show.

‘The President’s FCC is forcing their perceived critics off the airwaves,’ the Democratic Party said following the news of Kimmel’s cancelation on Wednesday.

‘This is a chilling attack on the freedom of speech our founders enshrined in the Constitution. This should alarm all Americans—regardless of political party.’

Stephen Colbert’s show had been canceled earlier in the year on CBS

But others found the cancelation to be justified, with former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly saying he found Kimmel’s remarks ‘inexplicable.’

‘He had to know on Monday in his dialogue how raw the country was over this assassination,’ O’Reilly told News Nation’s Chris Cuomo, asking how no producers flagged the monologue.

‘This isn’t about censorship,’ he continued. ‘This is about responsibility and as you pointed out, correctly, every corporation has a responsibility to make sure the product it’s selling is an honest product.’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also said Kimmel’s ouster is a ‘rare example of accountability in legacy media.’

‘That ABC actually did something about Kimmel’s lies is surprising,’ he posted on X.

President Donald Trump even called the late night show’s cancelation ‘great news for America’ as he called for the firing of Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon as well.

‘Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,’ he wrote on his Truth Social platform. ‘Kimmel has ZERO talent and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.’

‘That leaves Jimmy [Fallon] and Seth [Meyers], two total losers on Fake News NBC,’ the president continued.

‘Their ratings are also horrible,’ he said.