Cousin Sal Teases Even Bigger Bombshells After Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC Comeback
Sal Iacono says the story behind Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and the abrupt halt of Jimmy Kimmel Live is far from over, teasing more explosive revelations ahead while keeping details close and expressing confidence in Kimmel’s ABC return.
Jimmy Kimmel returns to the air tomorrow, and his cousin/co-writer Sal Iacono is out here hinting that we still have not heard the whole story. If you thought the suspension saga was wrapped, Sal is basically saying: not quite.
So what did Sal actually say?
Iacono popped up on The Bill Simmons Podcast and played it coy but confident. He would not spill details, but he was very clear there is more coming and that Kimmel is fine.
'There are a couple bombshells still there.'
He called the past week 'tumultuous' for the family, then lightened it with an anecdote about his son Jack telling Kimmel that kids at school think what happened to him was unfair. Kimmel, in classic Kimmel fashion, joked back that Jack should tell them he is not worried because 'my cousin Jimmy is an excellent dancer.'
Iacono also drew a line on how much he could share out of respect for his family, basically saying: that is all I can say right now.
Bill Simmons, who has worked with Kimmel before, backed him, saying Kimmel will be fine no matter what he chooses next and even joked that he could pivot to being a pop-up barbecue chef around the South Bay and crush it.
How we got here
ABC pulled the plug on Jimmy Kimmel Live! starting September 17, saying it would be indefinitely preempted following controversy over comments Kimmel made about a shooting involving conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The network’s move came after public pressure from FCC official Brendan Carr and groups representing ABC affiliates, according to the reporting. That is an unusually inside-baseball twist for a late-night dust-up, which explains why the backlash got loud.
Fans and a ton of Hollywood folks pushed back. More than 400 artists signed and circulated a letter knocking the suspension as censorship and a shot at free speech.
What happens next
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is scheduled to be back on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Iacono’s podcast tease landed the day before that return, which is a pretty strong hint that the follow-up chapter is going to get talked about on-air.
Quick timeline
- Sep 17: ABC announces it is indefinitely preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! after controversy over Kimmel’s remarks related to a shooting involving Charlie Kirk; the decision follows pressure from FCC official Brendan Carr and ABC affiliate groups.
- In the days after: Fans and industry figures rally; a letter signed by 400+ artists condemns the suspension as censorship.
- Day before the return: Sal Iacono tells The Bill Simmons Podcast there are still 'bombshells' to come, calls the week 'tumultuous,' and says Kimmel will be fine.
- Tue, Sep 23, 2025: Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns to ABC.