Straight From You: Did the government pull Kimmel’s show, or his employer?
From Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension to safe meds in pregnancy — and even drone claims over a Gaza flotilla — we’re back with another round of Straight From You.
Each week, we take your comments and questions and put them to the test — separating fact from speculation and adding the context you won’t always find in the headlines.
You said:
The question:
Who pulled Kimmel? Employer vs. government
SAN answer:
A viewer noted that Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension was a decision by his employer, not President Donald Trump. That’s accurate. Disney and several ABC affiliates pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after his remarks on the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing, according to PBS NewsHour and The New York Times. First Amendment experts told The Associated Press that the Constitution restricts government censorship, not private employer discipline. Networks are within their rights to drop programming they view as harmful to business or audience trust.
However, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump earlier this year, suggested affiliates could face agency scrutiny if they continued airing Kimmel’s show, comments that critics called political pressure. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez told PBS that such threats risked companies “capitulating” to government demands, a move she said runs against the First Amendment and the Communications Act.
Kimmel returned to the air Sept. 23. In his monologue, he said he never intended to make light of Kirk’s murder but called “a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like” anti-American. Disney aired his show in major markets, while Nexstar and Sinclair, which own large groups of ABC affiliates, continued to preempt it.
You said:
The question:
What’s the safest pain reliever for pregnancy?
SAN answer:
A viewer asked whether there are alternatives to acetaminophen during pregnancy. According to a Yale School of Public Health Q&A with epidemiologist Zeyan Liew, Ph.D., there is no direct over-the-counter substitute that is considered as safe. Liew says acetaminophen has been the first-line option for decades for pregnant patients with pain or fever. He also notes the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “continue to recommend acetaminophen as the safest over-the-counter pain reliever for pregnant women,” provided it is used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time and under medical guidance.
Studies have raised concerns about a possible link between frequent or prolonged use of acetaminophen in pregnancy and developmental conditions such as autism, but Liew emphasizes these are associations and not proof of causation. He adds that other factors — such as genetics, underlying illness or maternal fever — could explain the observed links and that he is leading ongoing collaborative research to evaluate these questions.
“Unfortunately, there is no equivalent alternative for acetaminophen at the moment,” Liew said.
Guidance from Family Health Centers of San Diego states that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin should generally be avoided during pregnancy — particularly after the second trimester — unless advised by a prenatal care provider. The clinic cautions that NSAIDs can be associated with low amniotic fluid and other complications and recommends that patients consult an OB-GYN before using any medication.
Both sources stress that the safest approach is to discuss pain management with a prenatal care provider. Family Health Centers of San Diego lists acetaminophen as the default over-the-counter option for pain or fever, with dosing to be determined by a clinician, and recommends avoiding self-directed use of other drugs or certain antacids unless specifically cleared by a doctor.
Acetaminophen remains the preferred over-the-counter option in pregnancy when needed and used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time under clinician guidance.
You said:
The question:
Gaza flotilla: Activists call ‘scare tactics’; no sinkings reported
SAN answer:
A viewer argued that if drones were truly attacking the Gaza aid flotilla, “the boats would be underwater.” Reports from governments, media and United Nations officials describe damage and disruption — not sinkings.
Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said “unidentified drones and communications jamming” hit multiple vessels south of Greece. They said “at least 13 explosions” occurred on or near boats and objects dropped from the air damaged sails and equipment. No casualties were reported.
Activists, including Greta Thunberg, described the incidents as a scare tactic and said drones had flown over the flotilla for days. One participant reported radio interference, with jammers playing an ABBA song over the flotilla’s channel.
“We were aware of the risks of these kinds of attacks, and that’s not something that’s going to stop us,” Thunberg said.
Greece’s coast guard reported no distress calls. Italy — which condemned a drone attack by “currently unidentified perpetrators” — dispatched a frigate for potential rescues and later authorized a second vessel.
Spain said it would send a naval ship to protect or rescue its citizens aboard. A U.N. human rights spokesperson called for an investigation. Eva Hrncirova, a European Commission spokesperson, said “freedom of navigation under international law must be upheld.”
Israel has not said whether it was responsible and reiterated that the flotilla will not be allowed to reach Gaza. It instead offered to transfer aid via Ashkelon.
Keep dropping comments, asking questions and SAN will tackle the biggest ones next week on Straight From You.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
