Jimmy Kimmel Returns With Tearful Monologue After ABC Pulls His Show

24 September 2025

Jimmy Kimmel. Credit : ABC

Jimmy Kimmel made his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 23 after ABC revived the show following an indefinite suspension that started September 17 in the wake of his controversial comments about the recent killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The episode opened with a montage of news clips addressing his suspension and reinstatement, before cutting to the host and his sidekick Guillermo dressed in playful costumes an early sign that the night would mix levity, reflection, and confrontation. He paused before beginning his monologue, letting the packed studio audience’s ovation settle into silence, then thanked viewers for sticking with him.

Kimmel acknowledged that in recent days tensions had been high. He joked that he did not know who had a worse 48 hours himself or “the CEO of Tylenol” a reference to recent claims linking Tylenol to autism that became part of his broader critique. He expressed gratitude toward colleagues across the late-night community, including Stephen Colbert, and applauded conservative figures such as Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens for speaking out in his defense. But he did not shy from the heart of the matter. With his voice cracking, he said that he never intended “to make light of the murder of a young man” and emphasized how deeply he felt for Kirk’s family and for all innocent victims of gun violence.

Amid his emotional remarks he criticized what he described as increasing pressure on media by the federal government. Kimmel called the move to silence voices in real time “anti-American,” saying it threatened the core principles of free expression and debate. He invoked the name of ABC affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair, which had refused to carry his show even after its reinstatement, and questioned whether the right to broadcast commentary was being undermined by influence and intimidation.

Although Disney and ABC shepherded a path to bring back the show, major broadcast groups did not uniformly follow suit. Nexstar confirmed it would continue to block Kimmel on its stations, as did Sinclair, in a sign that the dispute was far from over. Kimmel said he understood the tension, and wanted the night not just to be about his return but about defending the space for voices, no matter how contested they might be.

Kimmel did not issue a sweeping apology for the original remarks, but he said he recognized why people were hurt by them and emphasized that offense came from tone, not intent. He singled out Erika Kirk, Kirk’s widow, praising her forgiveness and grace, calling her example powerful. In closing, he pledged to continue speaking and to push back where media freedom is threatened, asking viewers to stay engaged, hold power accountable, and defend a space for difficult conversations.

His return was met with solidarity from the entertainment world and public defenders of free speech. Over 400 industry figures and unions signed letters supporting his return, citing the importance of resisting censorship or undue influence in media. Still, the episode is a reminder that the modern battleground for commentary and critique often plays out in broadcast decisions and affiliate stances as much as in law or policy. This moment is more than a TV show comeback. It is a flashpoint in a larger contest over who gets to speak and how much of that speech is protected even when it stings.