Man, the whole saga with Jimmy Kimmel getting back on TV has been one wild ride, and now it’s hit another bump.

Disney hyped up the late-night guy’s comeback, but turns out some big ABC stations around the country are flat-out saying no to putting his show on the air.

Stars Slammed the Call

The murder of conservative icon Charlie Kirk has really shaken things up across America—from regular folks to big-shot politicians and even the TV world.

Take Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night gig: it got yanked off the schedule for who knows how long after he stirred up a storm with comments about Charlie Kirk’s brutal death and how Donald Trump handled it.

Because of that, ABC put Jimmy Kimmel Live! on an “indefinite” hold.

People were split on it—some thought it was the right move, but a bunch of celebrities blasted it as a hit on free speech.

Then, on Monday, Disney dropped the news that Kimmel was coming back. The company, which runs ABC, put out a statement on September 22:

“Last Wednesday, we decided to pause the show to keep from stirring the pot during such a raw time for the nation. We figured some of those remarks came off as poorly timed and insensitive. Over the past few days, we’ve had some real heart-to-hearts with Jimmy, and after that, we’re bringing the show back starting Tuesday.”

Not Everyone’s On Board

But things aren’t smoothing out like they hoped.

Sinclair Inc., the outfit that handles a bunch of local ABC stations, isn’t going along with it. They’ve got a rep for leaning conservative, and folks have called them out before for choices that seem to favor right-wing views.

Now, they’re saying they’ll block Kimmel’s show in almost 40 big markets, swapping it out for their own local news instead.

“Starting Tuesday night, we’re pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! from our ABC stations and filling the slot with news. We’re still talking to ABC as we figure out if the show comes back,” they announced.

Their List of Demands

Preempting means the local owners ditch the national feed and run their own stuff. Sinclair laid it out that Kimmel won’t hit their airwaves until a few things happen.

They want “real talks with ABC about keeping things professional and accountable.” Plus, they’re pushing for Kimmel to “personally apologize to the Kirk family” and cough up a “solid donation” to the family and Turning Point USA.

“No matter what ABC has in mind down the line, we’re not bringing Jimmy Kimmel Live! back until we’re sure they’ve done what’s needed to meet the bar for national TV,” they threw in.

Right now, Kimmel’s hyped-up return is kind of hanging in the air, and late-night fans are left scratching their heads wondering if they’ll ever see him on their local channel.