American TV host Jimmy Kimmel has said that “it was never my intention to make light” of Charlie Kirk’s murder as his show returned on air after a nearly weeklong suspension.
Kimmel appeared to be close to tears on Tuesday as he returned to late-night television, hosting his first show since the ABC network took him off air last Wednesday over comments about the assassination of the conservative influencer.
In an emotional monologue, the 57-year-old presenter said: “I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human… it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.
“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel had been accused of being offensive and insensitive after using his programme, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, to claim that US President Donald Trump and his allies were capitalising on the killing.
The incident sparked a national debate over freedom of speech and Trump’s ability to police the words of journalists, commentators and even comics.
ABC brought him back following a backlash against the parent company Disney, with some cancelling subscriptions to its streaming services.
Kimmel added that he wasn’t trying to blame any specific group “for the actions of what… was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”
Why ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live off air, ITV News Correspondent Robert Moore reports
He acknowledged that his remarks last week “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both” to some viewers.
But Kimmel made no apologies.
He criticised the ABC affiliates that pulled his show, noting that two major station groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, which together represent about a quarter of ABC stations, ordered their outlets not to broadcast Kimmel on Tuesday.
“That’s not legal,” Kimmel said. “That’s not American. It’s un-American.”
Kimmel attacks Trump and praises supporters
During his monologue, Kimmel also mocked the president after he criticised him for bad ratings.
“He tried his best to cancel me and instead he forced millions of people to watch this show,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel thanked many supporters, including past and present late-night hosts and even a former boss at a Seattle radio station who reached out to him last week.
Donald Trump mocked Kimmel last week, saying he was ‘fired because he had bad ratings’
He also highlighted those who are not fans of his comedy but defended his right to free speech, among them Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
“It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration,” he said. “They did and they deserve credit for it.”
Kimmel nearly broke down again in praising Kirk’s widow, Erica, who publicly forgave her husband’s killer.
“That is an example we should follow,” he said.
“If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was… 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. And not this.”
Kimmel admitted that he was mad when ABC suspended him, but praised his bosses for putting him back on the air.
He said: “Unjustly, this puts them at risk.”
Trump threatens Kimmel
In a post on his Truth Social platform before Kimmel’s show aired on Tuesday night, Trump attacked the late-night host’s return.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back… 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,” he wrote.
“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.”
Trump’s administration has repeatedly attempted to exert greater control over the media industry through threats, lawsuits and government pressure.
He sued ABC and CBS over news coverage, cases that were later settled.
He also filed defamation lawsuits against The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
In addition, he successfully pushed Congress to strip federal funding from public broadcasting organisations, NPR and PBS.
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