After nearly a week off the air, Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional return to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday. He spoke out regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
During his monologue, Kimmel reflected on his previous comments about Kirk’s death. “I don’t expect to change anyone’s mind, but I have to say, you’re not going to lessen the murders of young people,” he expressed, his voice wavering. “I don’t find that particularly interesting.”
He mentioned that on the day Kirk was killed, he posted on Instagram to send love to Kirk’s family and promote compassion. Kimmel asserted, “I didn’t mean to blame a specific group for the actions of a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of what I intended.”
Kimmel acknowledged that for those who felt confused or offended, he understands why they reacted the way they did.
On Monday, Walt Disney Company announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would return the following day after it was unexpectedly taken off the air on September 17.
The decision to pause production last Wednesday, they explained, was made to avoid further tensions during a difficult time for the nation. Some comments were deemed inappropriate, and they felt it was best to hold off.
After thoughtful discussions with Kimmel, they concluded it was appropriate to resume the show.
However, ABC’s affiliates, including Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting Group, decided not to air Kimmel’s show, with Sinclair stating it would replace it with news programming instead.
ABC confirmed that Kimmel’s show would air “indefinitely” following Nexstar’s actions due to comments made by Kimmel regarding Kirk’s murder on September 10.
Nexstar reportedly threatened to preempt the show in response to Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s death.
There’s some talk that FCC Commissioner Brendan Kerr might investigate Kimmel’s comments, particularly given that the suspect in Kirk’s murder, a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson, appeared to have political ties to Trump’s ideology.
In a podcast appearance, Kerr criticized Kimmel’s behavior as “sickening.” He pointed out that there’s a legal framework around content moderation, but suggested that this isn’t an isolated incident.
Meanwhile, President Trump voiced his approval via social media, celebrating Kimmel’s show being canceled and claiming Kimmel lacks talent and has low ratings compared to Stephen Colbert.
Kimmel reportedly did not respond to media inquiries, but one source claimed he was “livid” about the situation.
Some celebrities, including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston, expressed solidarity with Kimmel, signing letters that defended him and called his suspension a setback for free speech.
On September 15, Kimmel commented on Kirk’s shooting, pointing out the absurdity of labeling the perpetrator as anything but what he was.
However, Kimmel also expressed sorrow for Kirk’s family through social media, emphasizing the horror of gun violence.
In light of the controversy, Sinclair requested that Kimmel apologize directly to the Kirk family and make donations to them and Turning Point USA. They also announced a special in memory of Charlie Kirk would air during Kimmel’s usual timeslot.
