Jimmy Kimmel Comeback: Late Night Host Fights Back Tears on Show Return and Weeps he ‘Never Intended’ to ‘Make Light’ of Charlie Kirk’s Death

“I shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on the day of his tragic death, offering love to (Kirk’s) family and pleading for empathy. That sentiment remains unchanged. I did not intend to assign blame to any specific group for the actions of what was clearly a deeply troubled individual.”

“In fact, that was the opposite of the message I aimed to convey. However, I recognize that some perceived my statement as ill-timed or unclear, and for those feelings, I understand your frustration. If the roles were reversed, I likely would have reacted similarly.” He went on to emphasize, “I have friends and family who do not align with my political stance, yet I wholeheartedly believe that the individual responsible for Charlie Kirk‘s shooting does not represent anyone.”

“This individual was sick; he believed that violence was a solution, which it absolutely is not. I also bear the burden of receiving numerous threats against my life, my family’s safety, and my colleagues, stemming from my public expressions. I know these threats do not come from those decent people on the right whom I respect.”

“That’s all I wanted to express on that matter,” Kimmel concluded.

He segued into a discussion on the First Amendment, recalling conversations with comedians from authoritarian regimes, including Russia and the Middle East, who articulated that they could be imprisoned or worse for their satirical expressions about political leaders.

“They understand the privilege we possess here,” he illustrated, stressing the importance of freedom of speech.

“Our ability to speak freely is greatly admired by those in oppressive regimes, and I admit, I’ve taken this for granted until recent events occurred involving my colleague, Stephen Colbert, being yanked off the air. Attempts were made to pressure local affiliates to erase my program from their scheduling—this is not lawful, it is contrary to everything America stands for. That is utterly un-American.”

Kimmel proceeded to share a clip depicting Trump robustly advocating for free speech in 2022, followed by a more recent quote from Trump proclaiming that Kimmel “was let go because he lacked talent and didn’t have ratings,” leading to a chorus of boos from the audience.

Dressed in a bear costume alongside his trusty sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez in a whimsical skit, Kimmel quipped, “In his attempt to cancel me, he inadvertently drew millions more to my show, an unintended consequence.”

He added humorously, “At this point, he may resort to releasing the Epstein files to divert attention from this storyline,” prompting laughter and applause from the audience.

Expressing his gratitude to ABC for their support over the years, he conveyed his disagreement with their recent decision to take him off the air last week but acknowledged their gesture of welcoming him back. “We discussed it at length. I’m thankful for their return,” he remarked.

However, he also pointed out that such actions could put ABC, along with his production team, at risk given the current political climate. “Our leader revels in the misfortune of Americans simply because he can’t tolerate humor,” he stated.

Later in his monologue, Kimmel wiped away tears as he reflected on the words of Kirk’s widow, Erika, who, during her husband’s memorial service the preceding weekend, expressed her forgiveness towards her husband’s killer. “Erika Kirk forgave the individual who took her husband’s life; that’s a profound example we should all strive to emulate,” he stated passionately.

“If you have faith in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, that moment was a demonstration of grace and selflessness from a grieving widow. It struck me deeply,” he reflected, his voice trembling.

“If there’s a message we can derive from this tragedy, let it be one of forgiveness and empathy, rather than divisiveness,” he concluded.