'Equal opportunity for jokes?': CNN host skewers GOP analyst over Kimmel suspension

CNN host Abby Phillip skewered one of her Republican panelists on Tuesday night over late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel's return from his "indefinite" suspension.

Brad Todd, a Republican strategist, appeared on Tuesday's broadcast of "NewsNight with Abby Phillip, and argued that what's happening to Kimmel is similar to how conservatives felt under the Biden administration. Todd argued that Biden censored conservative content about the pandemic and vaccines.

He also argued that Kimmel should be required to hire a few conservative joke writers as part of his return. Phillips was visibly stunned by the claim.

"Why does it have to be equal opportunity for jokes?" Phillips asked sardonically. "Why can't he tell whatever jokes he wants to tell?"

Kimmel was "indefinitely" suspended last week, although the cause of the suspension remains unclear. Nexstar Media Group, which owns multiple local ABC affiliates that carry Kimmel's show, said in a statement that it was related to "insensitive" comments Kimmel made about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk's killer.

Kimmel had mentioned that the killer may have been part of the MAGA party on an episode that aired shortly before his suspension.

Other media experts have pointed to comments made by FCC chair Brendan Carr during a podcast appearance as the reason for Kimmel's suspension. Carr suggested that Kimmel should be taken off the air and claimed, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."