By John Q. Hosedrinker 
After being pulled from the air for eight days, Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC Tuesday night. Kimmel thanked those who supported him, including fellow late-night hosts and even those who disagreed with his beliefs but defended his right to share them, following backlash from comments made about the MAGA movement’s reaction to the murder of Charlie Kirk. The show was initially pulled after comments from FCC Chair Brendan Carr and affiliate preemptions. In his return, Kimmel expressed contrition for the comments that led to his suspension and praised Erika Kirk for her act of forgiveness.
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Jimmy Kimmel Doesn’t Spare Trump As He Returns to ABC: “He tried his best to cancel me,” said Kimmel in his first monologue since his suspension. “Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.”
Kimmel’s return to ABC after a brief suspension was anything but quiet. His opening monologue was a direct response to the controversy that led to his time off-air, and he didn’t hold back. He opened by acknowledging the situation, noting the “weirder 48 hours” he’d experienced, and quickly transitioned into addressing the elephant in the room: the attempted “cancellation” orchestrated, as he framed it, by Donald Trump and his allies.
The core of Kimmel’s message was simple: the effort to silence him had backfired spectacularly. Instead of diminishing his audience, the push to remove him from the airwaves seemingly amplified interest in his show. He cheekily pointed out that the attempt to cancel him had, in fact, “forced millions of people to watch the show,” a direct jab at the people who wanted him off the air.
This wasn’t just about the ratings, though. Kimmel highlighted the support he received from unexpected corners, thanking not only his fellow late-night hosts, but also prominent conservatives who defended his right to free speech. This acknowledgment served to underscore the broader principle at stake: the importance of open debate and the freedom to express opinions, even those that might be unpopular with certain powerful individuals or groups.
Kimmel also touched upon the incident that triggered his suspension. He clarified that it was never his intention to make light of the murder of Charlie Kirk, and he expressed sympathy and respect for Kirk’s widow. This move likely served to contextualize his comments, acknowledging the sensitivity of the situation while reiterating his core beliefs.
Beyond the immediate controversy, Kimmel also made a point of highlighting the broader implications of the political climate. He addressed the potential chilling effect on free speech that could result from the Trump administration’s actions. He drew attention to the attempts to influence networks, not just to silence him, but to potentially stifle other hosts and the hundreds of people who work on their shows. He emphasized the importance of speaking out against such attempts.
The monologue was more than just a rebuttal; it was a statement about the values of open discourse and free expression. Kimmel used his platform to not only defend his own position but also to shine a light on the dangers of censorship and the importance of standing up to those who would seek to silence dissenting voices. His return to ABC, and the tone of his monologue, suggested that he wasn’t backing down.
The response to Kimmel’s return has been mixed, with some expressing disapproval of his jokes and his show as a whole. However, the overall narrative is about the power of free speech prevailing, and the seeming inability of attempts at political coercion to suppress an open and frank discussion. His message resonated with many viewers, who saw it as a defense of free expression in a climate where such freedoms are increasingly under threat.
Kimmel’s choice of words about free speech overrode any political alignment, making this monologue so much more powerful. His return also underscores the resilience of the media and the importance of resisting those who attempt to manipulate or control it. The “bigly backfire” Kimmel referenced wasn’t just about ratings; it was about the potential for resistance and the importance of maintaining a space for open and unfettered discourse, even when challenged by those in power.