Whoopi declares “No one silences us” as ‘The View’ defends Kimmel, warns against government pressure and champions the First Amendment.
After a brief silence, the hosts of ABC’s ‘The View’ addressed Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension on the Sept. 22 episode, using the segment to defend free speech while insisting they weren’t being muzzled by their network.
Whoopi Goldberg opened the show bluntly: “Did y’all really think we weren’t going to talk about Jimmy Kimmel? I mean, have you watched the show over the last 29 seasons? No one silences us.”
Goldberg said the panel waited to see if Kimmel would comment first and framed the controversy as more than a personality clash. “You cannot like a show and it can go off the air. Someone can say something they shouldn’t and get taken off the air.
But the government cannot apply pressure to force someone to be silenced,” she said, drawing a line between editorial decisions and outside influence.
Ana Navarro echoed that concern, pointing to the First Amendment and criticizing what she described as government pressure being used to intimidate and silence voices.
“I don’t understand how in this country, where the First Amendment was made to the Constitution to guarantee freedom of the press and freedom of speech, how the government itself is using its weight and power to bully and scare people into silence,” Navarro said.
Former White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin added that the First Amendment exists to keep power accountable, emphasizing that the right to speak freely protects democratic checks and balances.
Goldberg closed with a broader note about equality and mutual protection: defending everyone’s right to speak means protecting each other’s speech.
The segment comes after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr suggested the commission take a look at shows like The View to determine whether they qualify for the “bona fide news” exception to equal-opportunity rules — a legal status that would affect how equal-airtime requirements apply.
Carr’s comments, made the day after ABC announced Kimmel’s suspension, had fueled speculation about outside pressure and whether certain programs are still treated as news outlets under long-standing FCC precedent.
Across late-night and broadcast television, reactions were swift and fierce. Stephen Colbert labeled Kimmel’s suspension “blatant censorship,” while Jimmy Fallon publicly hoped for Kimmel’s return and vowed to keep making political jokes.
TV veterans from David Letterman to radio host Howard Stern publicly criticized the move; Letterman warned of “managed media,” and Stern said he canceled his Disney+ subscription in protest.
On The View, the hosts struck a cautious but clear stance: they defended Kimmel, defended the principle of free speech, and denied that they were being told to stay silent — even while the broader debate over media, politics and corporate pressure continues to play out.