“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host Jimmy Kimmel insisted that he never intended to make light of Charlie Kirk’s assassination in comments that led to his show’s suspension.
Tuesday night was the first show Kimmel hosted since Disney announced its return on Monday after nearly a week off the air.
Kimmel came out to a standing ovation which continued into chants of “Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy!” and ongoing cheering.
“If you are just joining us, we are preempting your regularly scheduled encore episode of ‘Celebrity Family Feud,’ we’re bringing you this special report,” Kimmel opened. “I’m happy to be here with you tonight.”
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He went on to thank his fellow late-night talk show hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart and David Letterman, along with right-leaning critics like Clay Travis and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for showing some support for him during his suspension.
Kimmel then addressed, though did not apologize for, the comments that originally got him suspended.
“I’ve been hearing a lot about what I need to say and do tonight, and the truth is, I don’t think what I have to say is going to make much of a difference,” Kimmel said. “If you like me, you like me. If you don’t, you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind. But I want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human, and that is – you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”
Kimmel began tearing up as he said he posted a message to Instagram sending love to Kirk’s family the day of his death.
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions,” he continued. “It was a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but I understand that, to some, it felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both, and for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I would have felt the same way.”
Kimmel added, “I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution, and it isn’t ever.”
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Kimmel also gave his mixed thoughts on Disney suspending his show after 23 years on the air.
“Every night, they defended my right to poke fun at our leaders and to advocate for subjects that I think are important by allowing me to use their platform, and I’m very grateful for that. With that said, I was not happy when they pulled me off the air on Wednesday,” Kimmel said.
He added, “I did not agree with that decision and I told them that, and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view, they shared theirs. We talked it through. And at the end, even though they didn’t have to, they really didn’t have to, this is a giant company, we have short attention spans, and I am a tiny part of the Disney corporation, they welcomed me back on the air.”
Kimmel closed his monologue by tearfully recounting Erica Kirk’s speech at her husband’s funeral where she showed forgiveness to his assassin.
“There was a moment over the weekend, a very beautiful moment. I don’t know if you saw this. On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was. That’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply, and I hope it touches many, and if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel’s show was suspended by Disney last Wednesday after he said right-wing commentators were “desperately” trying to characterize Kirk’s alleged assassin as someone who wasn’t “MAGA.”
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on Sept. 15.
Broadcasting companies Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Nexstar Media Group announced after the episode aired that they would be preempting the show across dozens of ABC affiliates because of Kimmel’s “ill-timed and insensitive” comments.
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Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr also made a veiled threat against the show following backlash from the comments.
Sinclair and Nexstar preempted Kimmel’s show again Tuesday night and have said they will keep doing so as discussions with ABC continue behind the scenes.
Ahead of Kimmel’s return, President Donald Trump attacked both Kimmel and ABC for bringing the show back despite being told that it was “canceled.”
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“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE,” Trump wrote.
He continued, “He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”
