Last week, the Disney-owned network ABC suddenly suspended its late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! under pressure from Donald Trump's FCC. Kimmel made comments about the reaction to Charlie Kirk's killing from the "MAGA gang," and FCC head Brendan Carr immediately threatened retaliatory action, including pulling broadcast licenses. Disney head Bob Iger and television chief Dana Walden immediately caved, setting off a First Amendment shitstorm. Movie stars and even Disney executives decried the company's actions, and Disney's stock reportedly dropped heavily. The fallout included Sarah McLachlan and Jewel canceling plans to perform at the premiere for ABC News and Hulu's new documentary about the Lilith Fair.
Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery, the Ally Pankiw-directed documentary about Sarah McLachlan's touring '90s music festival, is now streaming on the Disney-owned Hulu service. On Sunday, the Ford in Los Angeles hosted a premiere for the film, and it was scheduled to include performances from Sarah McLachlan and Jewel. Variety reports that ABC News publicists sent an email to press ahead of the event, announcing that its red carpet was cancelled. Matthew Belloni of The Town reported that the evening's planned performers, including Sarah MacLachlan and Jewel, opted not to perform at the premiere. Jewel, it's worth noting, did perform at Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again inaugural ball for Donald Trump earlier this year.
New: Sarah MacLachlan, Jewel, and more musicians scheduled to perform at tonight's premiere for Hulu's ABC News doc LILITH FAIR have all pulled out after Disney scrapped the red carpet. First notable talent consequence of the Jimmy Kimmel situation.
— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) September 22, 2025
Sarah McLachlan spoke at the Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery premiere, introducing the documentary and explaining her decision not to perform. She didn't mention Disney or Jimmy Kimmel by name, but she did say that the musicians made that decision "in solidarity in support of free speech."
I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech. It’s a gift for all of us to see [this film], but also I’ve grappled with being here tonight and around what to say about the present situation that we are all faced with, the stark contraction to the many advances we’ve made watching the insidious erosion of women’s rights, of trans and queer rights, the muzzling of free speech... Now, I know you're expecting a performance tonight, and I'm so grateful to all of you for coming. And I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech.
The crowd then gave McLachlan a standing ovation.
“I know you’re expecting a performance tonight, and I’m so grateful to all of you for coming, and I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” Sarah McLachlan said breaking… pic.twitter.com/CteaSYysnl
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) September 22, 2025
Tons of other musicians, including Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande, have made statements in support of Jimmy Kimmel.
https://twitter.com/statsoir/status/1969433380472131968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
ariana supporting sag-aftra's post about jimmy kimmel via instagram pic.twitter.com/fxVI2milL5
— ໊ (@dieforyous) September 19, 2025
