LOS ANGELES (BN24) — Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late-night stage Tuesday with an emotional monologue, saying he never meant to make light of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and rejecting accusations that his comments were intended to mislead.
Nearly in tears at times, Kimmel told his audience, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.” He said his remarks had been misunderstood as either ill-timed or unclear, but insisted he was not trying to blame any group for the actions of “a deeply disturbed individual.”
ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week after criticism of Kimmel’s remarks about the aftermath of Kirk’s death. The suspension followed pressure from Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who accused Kimmel of misleading the public about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man charged with the killing. Carr warned that broadcasters could face “additional work from the FCC” if they did not take action.
The suspension prompted a backlash against ABC’s parent company, Disney, with hundreds of actors and entertainers — including Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Aniston — signing an ACLU-backed letter calling the move “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.” Some viewers canceled Disney streaming subscriptions in protest.
Kimmel, who has often sparred with President Donald Trump in his comedy, did not apologize but criticized Sinclair and Nexstar station groups for refusing to air his return. “That’s not legal. That’s not American. It’s un-American,” he said.
He thanked fellow late-night hosts, celebrities and even political opponents such as Sen. Ted Cruz for defending his right to speak. He became emotional again when praising Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, for publicly forgiving her husband’s killer. “A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply,” Kimmel said.
The studio audience greeted him with a standing ovation and chants of “Jimmy, Jimmy.” Actor Robert De Niro appeared on the show, mocking Carr in a sketch, while singer Sarah McLachlan, who had earlier pulled out of a Disney event in protest of Kimmel’s suspension, performed as the musical guest.
Trump, who has long accused Kimmel of pushing what he calls “Democrat garbage,” hailed the suspension and blasted his reinstatement on Truth Social. “Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy?” Trump wrote.
Kimmel, for his part, mocked Trump’s effort to drive him off the air. “He tried his best to cancel me and instead he forced millions of people to watch this show,” Kimmel said.
The dispute has reignited debate over free speech, media independence, and the influence of government officials on entertainment programming.
