Top 10 Movies and TV Shows That Faced Political Backlash

#10: “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (2003-)

It all started with the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on September 10, 2025. Kirk’s untimely passing caused massive public outcry, with the far-right rallying for revenge. Trump officials were reportedly deeply disgruntled by the loss, too. So, when Jimmy Kimmel went on his eponymous talk show to criticize what he perceived as the politicization of Kirk’s death by the, quote, ‘MAGA gang’, it ruffled some feathers. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was promptly suspended by ABC and the Walt Disney Company. Needless to say, the decision was heavily protested. Late-night legends like David Letterman and Jay Leno, as well as actors Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, and Wanda Sykes, spoke out in support of Kimmel. The show ultimately returned on September 23.

#9: “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988)

The critically acclaimed film earned Martin Scorsese an Oscar nomination for Best Director. However, the general public’s reaction was far from positive. The movie explores the life of Jesus Christ as he grapples with temptation. The plot is based on Nikos Kazantzakis's novel “The Last Temptation of Christ”, and not the gospels – a fact made amply clear via a disclaimer in the film. However, many religious viewers deemed the content blasphemous. This resulted in major protests against Universal Studios and MCA, with many countries censoring or outright banning the film. The Saint Michel cinema in Paris was attacked by an Integralist Catholic group during a showing of the film, and Scorsese faced threats on his life, too. Decades have passed, but the film remains controversial.

#8: “The Dick Cavett Show” (1968-86)

The Jimmy Kimmel controversy wasn’t the only time a talk show host ran into trouble over politics. In 1971, while the Vietnam War raged on, Dick Cavett hosted a heated debate about the conflict on his self-titled show, drawing then-U.S. president Richard Nixon’s ire. He brought on John Kerry to present his anti-war stance, while war veteran John E. O'Neill took the other side. Cavett also gave a platform to staunch anti-war activists like Jane Fonda, John Lennon, and Stokely Carmichael. It was later reported, upon the release of the Nixon White House tapes, that the former POTUS wanted to take Cavett down. The administration had apparently tried to silence him with tax audits on his staff, too, but ABC refused to be pressured.

#7: “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999)

With a name like that, director Trey Parker wasn’t even trying to be subtle. After all, subtlety is not a quality “South Park” is known for. So, naturally, this film about Stan, Kyle, and Eric saving the world from Satan and Saddam Hussein’s deadly grip while keeping war at bay is provocative, to say the least. The comically profane satirization of censorship did not sit well with the Motion Picture Association of America, which repeatedly rated it NC-17 before settling on an R rating. Like many “South Park” episodes, life imitated art, and the backlash against the film mirrored the moral panic shown in it.

#6: “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” 1967-69)

The titular duo were television favorites when they were making this show. Young people loved “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” for its sharp social commentary and political satire. Besides, musical guests like Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Joan Baez, and The Who drew high viewership as well. However, the show’s irreverent and countercultural nature landed Tom and Dick Smothers in hot water with CBS executives, who felt it needed stricter censorship. This resulted in the removal of segments deemed inappropriate by the network, which, more often than not, were political and expressed anti-war sentiments. This went on for a while until the show was canceled in 1969. A lawsuit followed, with Tom and Dick claiming breach of contract, and CBS ended up paying damages.

#5: “JFK” (1991)

Legendary filmmaker Oliver Stone’s political thriller enjoyed unprecedented success, both critically and commercially. “JFK” is based on two books: “On the Trail of the Assassins” and “Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy”. The film seems to suggest the involvement of high-ranking U.S. government officials – including Lyndon B. Johnson, who was the Vice President during John F. Kennedy’s presidential term – in his assassination. It set off a political storm, and the movie was accused of spreading misinformation. However, the backlash did nothing to curb its popularity. In fact, its impact was so widespread, the JFK Act was passed to prevent the proliferation of conspiracy theories by publicly releasing records related to the assassination.

#4: “The Simpsons” (1989-)

If we sat down to recount every single controversy this show has ever been embroiled in, we’d be here all day. “The Simpsons”, with its unfiltered satire of real-world political issues like immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, gun control, and substance use, humorously highlights the flaws in American society. The Simpsons are wholesome in their own way, but they’re far from a model family. Even ex-U.S. president George H. W. Bush once denounced them in a speech while praising another TV family, the Waltons from the show of the same name. “The Simpsons” has also faced intense scrutiny overseas for the problematic portrayal of countries like Argentina, Australia, France, China, and Brazil. Has all this contention stopped the show? No, and it probably never will.

#3: “Borat” (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen is synonymous with this mockumentary. The character of Borat Sagdiyev, an unapologetically problematic reporter from Kazakhstan, rose to fame with “Da Ali G Show.” In “Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”, the regressive journalist interviews real, unsuspecting Americans, often exposing their ignorance. Needless to say, when the movie came out, many of its participants pursued legal action against Cohen. The Kazakhstan government was deeply offended, but later embraced the film, while the majority of the Arab world, barring Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, banned it. Even the European Center for Antiziganism Research denounced it for seemingly defaming Romanies. Yet, the film was extremely successful and got a sequel called “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.”

#2: “Monty Python's Flying Circus” (1969-74)

This series starring the Pythons concluded its run in 1974, but it remains one of the greatest sketch comedy shows of all time. It originated in the United Kingdom, but gained immense popularity across the pond as well, becoming a cornerstone of pop culture. Fans enjoyed the show’s absurd yet intellectual brand of humor, which came mixed with a generous helping of slapstick. Ever so often, it would veer into political and religious territory, or the comedy would get too dark, prompting the BBC to tighten censorship. In Malaysia, the show was reportedly banned entirely, and so was the film “Monty Python's Life of Brian” on grounds of alleged blasphemy.

#1: “The Interview” (2014)

To say the fallout of this film got out of hand would be an understatement. Seth Rogen and James Franco play journalists set to interview the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. When the CIA recruits them for his assassination, chaos ensues. The movie is outrageous, over-the-top, and downright crude, but no one expected that it would lead to Sony Pictures Entertainment allegedly getting hacked in retaliation. On top of that, movie theaters were reportedly threatened with terrorism just for showing it. As a result, the film was under-advertised and received limited screenings. Nevertheless, “The Interview” was a hit, especially in the digital rental and streaming spaces.

Do you think any of these shows crossed the line? Tell us in the comments down below!