Bulwark Takes Kimmel Suspension Triggered MAJOR Disney+ Exodus (w/ Julia Alexander)
Oct 1, 2025
Julia Alexander, a media correspondent and expert in streaming and television, joins to dissect the fallout from Jimmy Kimmel's suspension. She reveals a staggering sixfold increase in Disney+ and Hulu cancellations as viewers reacted strongly. Julia explains how this backlash surpasses past controversies like Netflix’s 'Cuties,' highlighting complex audience dynamics and parasocial relationships. The discussion also touches on Disney's challenges with subscriber growth, the potential impact of sports broadcasts, and the implications for corporate decisions in the face of public sentiment.
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How The Cancellation Analysis Was Done
- Julia Alexander described using Yipit credit-card and browser data to analyze cancellations after the Kimmel suspension.
- She cautioned that exact subscriber attribution is complex and multiple factors can affect churn.
Short-Term Churn Spike Was Unusually Large
- Credit-card and browser data showed cancellations spiked about sixfold in the five days after Jimmy Kimmel's suspension.
- That surge exceeded Netflix's Cuties backlash and Reed Hastings donation impacts, per Yipit data.
Why Kimmel Cut Through Online And Off
- The Kimmel backlash hit broader audiences than prior controversies because it combined free-speech concerns and attacks on a beloved entertainer.
- That mix amplified action from both left and right, increasing cancellation impact.