Two days. Two shows. Zero mentions.

For the second day in a row, the co-hosts of The View — a program famous for tackling controversy head-on — avoided the biggest media story in the country: ABC’s stunning suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host’s fiery remarks about Charlie Kirk.

Instead of discussing their late-night colleague’s indefinite removal, Thursday’s episode of The View circled back to FBI Director Kash Patel’s testimony on the Jeffrey Epstein files. On Friday, the silence continued.

The absence did not go unnoticed. Fans flooded social media, speculating that the daytime hosts had been told by their corporate parent, ABC, to steer clear of Kimmel’s suspension. “If even The View won’t touch it, you know the pressure is real,” one user posted.

The FCC Turns Its Gaze

What made the silence more striking was the timing. Hours after Thursday’s episode aired, FCC chairman Brendan Carr — the same regulator who pushed ABC to yank Kimmel off the air — suggested that The View might be next in line for scrutiny.

Speaking on a radio program, Carr raised questions about whether The View qualifies as a “bona fide news program,” which would exempt it from the equal opportunity rule requiring political balance.

“Most late-night shows, other than SNL, are considered bona fide news,” Carr said. “Potentially you can make the argument that The View is a news show, but I’m not so sure about that. I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether The View still qualifies.”

If the FCC were to strip The View of its news designation, the show would face strict equal-time requirements for political candidates — a move that could fundamentally alter its freewheeling format.

Pressure Mounts on ABC

ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel came after Nexstar Media, which operates dozens of ABC affiliates, refused to air his program. The catalyst: Kimmel’s on-air claim that the “MAGA gang” was trying to portray Kirk’s suspected killer as “anything other than one of them.”

Carr quickly threatened sanctions against ABC, warning that “companies can find ways to change conduct and take action on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

ABC pulled the show within hours, citing the need to avoid a broader standoff with affiliates.

Outrage From Hollywood and Beyond

The reaction has been explosive. Comedians, actors, and politicians accused ABC of bowing to political intimidation.

California Governor Gavin Newsom charged that “buying and controlling media platforms, firing commentators, canceling shows” was not coincidence but coordination. “The GOP does not believe in free speech,” he wrote. “They are censoring you in real time.”

Former president Barack Obama also weighed in, posting that the administration’s behavior represents “Trump’s most brazen attack on free speech yet.”

“After years of complaining about cancel culture,” Obama wrote, “the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by threatening regulatory action unless companies muzzle or fire voices it doesn’t like.”

A Growing Chill

The combination of Kimmel’s suspension, Nexstar’s pressure, and the FCC chairman’s comments about The View has sent a chill through television. If one of late night’s biggest names can vanish overnight, and daytime’s most outspoken table is warned it could be next, what space remains for open debate on network TV?

Viewers are left with a shocking revelation: silence can be as loud as speech. The heartbreaking truth is that programs once known for fearless conversation are now navigating invisible boundaries.

Closing Reflection

Two days of silence from The View may seem like a scheduling choice. But paired with threats from regulators, it feels like a warning shot to an industry already on edge.

Whether this is accountability or censorship depends on who you ask. But one fact is hard to deny: a late-night host is off the air, a daytime panel is suddenly cautious, and the debate over who controls America’s screens has never felt more urgent.