After ABC pulled ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘ last week, all eyes were on how Jimmy Kimmel would respond once he returned. On Tuesday night, he broke his silence and addressed the backlash.
What he chose to say about the controversy, and how he explained himself, is worth examining. Here’s what he said last night.
Jimmy Kimmel Addresses The Sudden Disruption
On Wednesday of last week, ABC suddenly pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live from its schedule. The Disney-owned network took action after Kimmel made remarks about Charlie Kirk that were widely criticized. Soon, his comments brought in a lot of backlash and divided viewers online.
Speculation picked up as clips of Kimmel’s remarks spread online. While some defended him, saying the intent behind his comments had been twisted, others stood firm. The debate only grew louder, and ABC’s decision to bench him poured fuel on the fire.
On Tuesday night, the host reclaimed his seat at the desk. From the moment he walked onstage, the audience erupted in chants of “Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy!” and gave him a standing ovation that seemed to stretch on endlessly. Everyone has been on edge in the last few days, thinking about what Kimmel would say. Would he apologise? Would he defend himself? And finally, Kimmel has addressed the elephant in the room.
Kimmel explained that it was never his intention to make light of the murder of a young man. He recalled how, on the day of the killing, he had posted on Instagram and sent love and support to the victim’s family. Those words still stood true, according to him. Kimmel went on to explain that he had not meant to blame any group for what he called the “actions of a deeply disturbed individual.” Still, he admitted that to some, his remarks may have seemed poorly timed or unclear. For those who believed he had pointed a finger, he said he understood why they felt upset.
Soon, Kimmel turned our attention to Erika Kirk, the widow of the victim. He pointed out how Erika had forgiven the man who killed her husband and appreciated her grace and faith. Kimmel said that if people believed in the teachings of Jesus, Erika showed them by following the teachings in real life. He concluded by adding that if there was one lesson to be taken from the tragedy, it should be her example of compassion, rather than the anger that followed.
Kimmel Points To Political Side Of The Charlie Kirk Controversy
While Kimmel was filled with sympathy and respect for Erica Kirk, he also had strong words for President Donald Trump. He pointed out that Trump had publicly celebrated his suspension and made it clear he wanted Kimmel and his staff fired. It’s kind of alarming that the president would celebrate Americans losing their jobs just because of a joke he couldn’t take.
In case you missed it: Donald Trump Celebrates As ABC Suspends Jimmy Kimmel’s Show Following Controversial Charlie Kirk Remark
Kimmel urged viewers to stop letting politicians dictate the conversation. He encouraged the public to voice their own opinions instead of accepting what leaders told them. Kimmel also didn’t shy away from mentioning how Trump had previously managed to push Stephen Colbert off CBS and was now setting his sights on other late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
Before concluding, he told viewers that if similar efforts threatened his colleagues, the public should be “ten times louder” in their support than they had been for him.
After such a charged opening, the show eventually slipped back into its usual pattern where Kimmel welcomed actor Glen Powell and singer Sarah McLachlan. But we can’t ever forget the opening Kimmel gave us. Kimmel didn’t dodge the controversy or brush past it. Instead, he admitted where things had gone wrong and pushed back on the political voices trying to silence him.
Jimmy Kimmel is back, and that too, on his own terms.
