Jimmy Kimmel posted a photo of himself with the late Norman Lear on Tuesday ahead of his first show back since “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was suspended over comments he made about late right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk.
“Missing this guy today,” Kimmel captioned the photo.
Lear, who died in 2023 at the age of 101, was a screenwriter and television producer, mainly known as the creator of “All in the Family” and “Sanford and Son,” sitcoms that dealt with social and political issues. Lear was a staunch advocate for the First Amendment, and in 1981, he founded People for the American Way, a progressive organization formed in response to the rise of the religious right. The organization has signed on to many amicus briefs in First Amendment cases.
In 1976, Lear and the Writers Guild of America sued the FCC after the commission pressured networks to keep all programs that aired before 9 p.m. “family-friendly.” Lear and the guild won the lawsuit, and the court ruled that the “adoption of the family viewing policy by each of the networks constituted a violation of the First Amendment.”
Lear’s outspokenness also landed him a spot on President Richard Nixon’s famous “enemies list,” and one time Nixon reportedly complained about “All in the Family,” calling it “that show that makes fun of a good man.”
