An emotional Jimmy Kimmel returned to the late-night scene on Tuesday, addressing his recent six-day suspension from ABC for the first time.
Kimmel kicked off the show with a montage of clips from various news outlets reacting to his suspension, with one commentator labeling the episode as “one of the most pivotal moments in broadcast history.” The show then shifted to backstage footage featuring Kimmel alongside his sidekick, Guillermo Rodriguez, where they were humorously dressed as a tiger and a banana, respectively. Kimmel, ever the joker, quipped, “We should probably change.”
As he took the stage, Kimmel was met with roaring applause from the audience. Not missing a beat, he humorously noted, “I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol.”
The comedian made it a point to express gratitude towards industry peers who voiced their support during his suspension, thanking notable figures such as Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Jay Leno, Howard Stern, and David Letterman. Additionally, he acknowledged support from unexpected corners of the political spectrum.
“Maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” he stated. “People I never would have imagined, like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul. Even my old pal Ted Cruz, who, believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf.”
Kimmel further reflected on the September 15 comments he made regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his voice shaking as he conveyed, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”
“There’s nothing funny about it,” he added, explaining that he had posted a heartfelt message on Instagram the day of Kirk’s death, extending love to his family and calling for compassion. He emphasized, “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions — it was a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”
Louis Virtel, a writer on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” addressed Kimmel’s suspension in his podcast “Keep It,” suggesting that the FCC’s involvement in the matter appeared to be a “clear assault” from the administration. Virtel opined that it felt as though they were “waiting for the right phrase to pounce on.”
“I think joke-telling is often the fastest way to tell the truth, and tell the truth in a way people remember,” Virtel further stated. “But when it comes to the word ‘fascism,’ actually, I feel like we all just need to say ‘No. Bad.’”
During his controversial monologue on September 15, Kimmel remarked that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” which drew criticism from some quarters as being insensitive. Following these comments, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened regulatory action against broadcasters who aired such remarks, prompting ABC to place Kimmel on indefinite suspension.
The suspension sparked widespread backlash, with protests erupting in New York and Los Angeles. Politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties condemned what they viewed as an infringement on First Amendment rights, leading to over 400 celebrities signing an open letter with the ACLU protesting Disney’s decision.
On Monday, ABC announced Kimmel’s return, stating in a public statement that they had “engaged in thoughtful conversations” with him and decided to bring the show back in light of those discussions. However, the network acknowledged that Kimmel’s comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive”.
Despite Kimmel’s return, not all ABC affiliates aired the broadcast. Nexstar and Sinclair indicated they would continue to preempt the show for the foreseeable future, maintaining their stance against Kimmel’s previous comments.
This rewritten article captures the essence of the original while ensuring uniqueness and maintaining the necessary HTML formatting for a WordPress platform.
