‘It’s because of his ratings’

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr on Monday rejected accusations that the government forced Disney to sideline Jimmy Kimmel — insisting the late-night host’s suspension instead stemmed from weak ratings.

“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level,” Carr said at a forum in New York.

Carr has faced bipartisan backlash since last week, when he told podcaster Benny Johnson: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday the comments were “absolutely inappropriate. Brendan Carr has got no business weighing in on this.”

“Any attempt by the government to get involved with speech — I will fight,” Paul added.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Carr’s warning was “right out of Goodfellas,” likening it to a mobster shaking down a bar owner.

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner called it “out-of-control intimidation” and said the network’s compliance raised questions about executives’ “political or financial self-interest.”

The White House defended the suspension.

“Jimmy Kimmel is a no-talent loser who has beclowned himself with tanking ratings and by spewing disgusting lies to his audience,” spokesperson Steven Cheung told The Post.

“That’s why the network kicked him to the curb like a used empty beer can.”

Disney pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the comedian tied Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, to the MAGA movement during his Sept. 15 broadcast.

Utah officials described Robinson as steeped in far-left ideology, citing text messages where he admitted targeting Kirk because of “hatred” for the conservative activist.

Nexstar and Sinclair — owners of dozens of ABC affiliates — quickly preempted Kimmel, signaling they would not air the program unless action was taken.

Disney announced Kimmel’s indefinite suspension two days after the broadcast.

The controversy has drawn condemnation from entertainers as well.

Howard Stern told his SiriusXM audience Monday, “I can no longer keep my mouth shut… This involves the network ABC. They did something really dumb and f–kin’ horrible.”

Stern, who has fought his own battles with the FCC, warned: “When the government says, ‘I’m not pleased with you, so we’re going to orchestrate a way to silence you,’ it’s the wrong direction for the country. It isn’t good, and I should know.”

He recalled the 1990s, when regulators threatened to derail Infinity Broadcasting’s merger with Viacom over his raunchy morning show.

“They all bent the knee and they all cower,” Stern said, accusing ABC and others of capitulating under political intimidation.

“The basis of this country is the government doesn’t tell you what to say,” Stern said.

He pledged to cancel his Disney+ subscription, adding: “It’s one thing if ABC wanted to fire Jimmy because they didn’t like him, or he had low ratings… They didn’t want to fire him. They’re being pressured by the United States government. We can’t have that, not if we’re gonna have a democracy.”