Esther Imonmion
US comedian Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television on Tuesday, September 23, with an emotional monologue in which he denounced what he described as “anti-American” threats to free speech.
Kimmel’s comeback followed his brief suspension over a September 15 monologue about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which drew sharp criticism from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr and led Disney-owned ABC to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely.”
Addressing viewers during his first show back, Kimmel said: “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.” He praised Erika Kirk, who forgave her husband’s alleged killer during a weekend memorial service, calling her gesture “a selfless act of grace that touched me deeply.”
Kimmel also targeted Carr, likening him to a mob boss and accusing him of abandoning his past free speech advocacy. He criticised President Donald Trump for celebrating job losses among late-night hosts who frequently lampoon him. “Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel said. “That’s un-American and dangerous.”
The Tuesday episode included appearances from actor Glen Powell, musician Sarah McLachlan, and veteran actor Robert De Niro, who joined Kimmel for a skit portraying Carr. De Niro quipped: “Speech, it ain’t free no more.”
Despite Disney’s decision on September 23 to reinstate the show after “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel, dozens of local affiliates declined to air his return. Nexstar and Sinclair—two major station groups that together control more than 20% of ABC affiliates—opted to replace the programme with alternate content. Nexstar said it would continue to pre-empt the show pending assurances of “respectful, constructive dialogue.”
Carr, a Trump appointee, praised those decisions on social media, writing: “We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license.”
Trump himself attacked Kimmel on his platform hours before the show aired, claiming ABC had previously told the White House the programme was cancelled. “Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there,” Trump wrote, threatening to “test ABC out on this.”
Kimmel’s suspension had sparked backlash from lawmakers, labour unions, and free speech advocates, alongside support from celebrity colleagues including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Seth Meyers. Actor Ben Stiller praised Tuesday’s monologue, calling it “brilliant.”
The FCC continues to play a central role in the controversy, as Nexstar pursues a $6.2 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna—a deal requiring the commission’s approval.