Kimmel Reflects on Controversy During Return to Late-Night Show

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel made his comeback to late-night television on Tuesday, addressing the backlash he received following his remarks about Charlie Kirk’s recent murder.

“I might want to thank those who disagree with me but still support my right to express my views,” Kimmel shared, after being off-air for a week.

During his monologue, he specifically named several conservative figures and Republican lawmakers who had criticized ABC for airing his show.

Kimmel accused conservatives of leveraging Kirk’s death for “political points,” making a quip about Trump grieving like “a four-year-old child who lost a goldfish.”

“I need to clarify something important to me as a human being—lightening the murder of a young man is not something I take lightly,” Kimmel said, his voice faltering. “There’s nothing interesting about it… In no way did I intend to blame any specific group for Kirk’s killing.” He later described the suspect as “a clear, deeply disturbed individual.”

“I understand why some people are upset—there are those who might see it as malicious,” he added.

Kimmel then turned his focus to the Trump administration, emphasizing that his suspension highlighted the value of living in a country where such shows can exist.

The comedian took aim at Brendan Kerr, stating that Trump’s FCC had pushed for an effort to label his show as “non-American,” and referred to Kerr’s threat to scrutinize ABC’s decision regarding his show as “intelligent.”

“Brendan Kerr has been cozying up to some of the most embarrassing Republicans ever since,” Kimmel said, showing an image of a Cybertruck with “Trump” plastered on it. “And that says something.”

Despite Kimmel’s return, many ABC stations across the country did not air the show because local news programs, including Nexstar and Sinclair, opted to preempt it due to his previous comments about Kirk.

On Tuesday, Kimmel also drew attention by playing a clip of Trump, who claimed he was pulled from the air for being “no talent or rating.”

“Well, let’s see if we can make it happen tonight,” Kimmel urged, seeking applause. “He tried to cancel me, yet ended up bringing millions of viewers to the show.”

The comedian expressed frustration towards Disney, ABC’s parent company, noting that his removal from air made it easy for them to sidestep the issue. In the end, he mentioned being thankful for the advocacy that allows him to speak about their leader.

Wrapping up his monologue, Kimmel referenced a heartfelt speech by Erica Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, during a memorial for the slain activist.

“She forgives him, and that’s a path we should all consider following,” he said.

“If there’s anything constructive that can come from this tragedy,” Kimmel reflected, “I hope it’s something like that, rather than dwelling on negativity.”