Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night television this past week was anything but routine, capping a whirlwind of controversy, corporate maneuvering, and pointed commentary from some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names. The saga began after ABC suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in response to Kimmel’s remarks about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a move that set off a firestorm across the media landscape.
On September 24, 2025, Kimmel made his much-anticipated return to the airwaves. According to TVLine, he wasted no time diving headfirst into the controversy. Greeted by a roaring audience, Kimmel joked, “Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted…”—a nod to the weeklong suspension that had left fans and critics alike wondering what would come next. He didn’t shy away from the topic at hand, instead addressing it directly and with characteristic candor.
Kimmel began by expressing gratitude to his fellow late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, for their public support during the ordeal. He also thanked his fans “who cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so that mine could be heard.” But perhaps most striking was his appreciation for those who disagreed with him politically but defended his right to speak. “I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but who support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” Kimmel said, specifically mentioning Republican senators Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz. He even played a clip of Cruz warning that government censorship could ultimately harm conservatives, quipping, “I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right.”
As ABC reported, Kimmel became visibly emotional as he clarified the comments that led to his suspension: “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.” He acknowledged that his remarks may have been “ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both,” and empathized with those who were upset, saying, “For those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset.” He emphasized that the shooter who killed Charlie Kirk was “a sick person who believed violence is a solution, and it isn’t. Ever.”
Kimmel went on to reflect on the bigger picture, noting, “This show is not important. What is important is that we live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.” He admitted he had taken his freedom of speech for granted “until they pulled my friend Stephen [Colbert] off the air and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air. That’s not legal. That’s not American. That is un-American.”
The controversy escalated when FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened penalties for stations that continued to air Kimmel’s show without “changing conduct and taking action,” as detailed by TVLine. Within hours, major broadcasters Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group, which together own dozens of ABC affiliates nationwide, announced they would not air "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on their stations. According to statements reported by USA Today, Sinclair said, “Our objective through this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest audience possible.” Nexstar added, “As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
The fallout did not go unnoticed in Washington. A group of Democratic senators sent a list of questions to Sinclair and Nexstar, seeking clarity on their decision to pull the show after Carr’s threat. Carr, for his part, doubled down, saying on a podcast, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Amid this tension, ABC and its parent company Disney entered negotiations with Kimmel. After several days, they announced the show would return to air on September 23, 2025. However, as ABC confirmed, neither Sinclair nor Nexstar affiliates aired the episode, despite it drawing more than 6 million viewers. Kimmel, ever the showman, couldn’t resist poking fun at the situation. He played a clip of Donald Trump claiming Kimmel had “no ratings,” before grinning, “Well, I do tonight!”
Kimmel also took direct aim at Trump, saying, “You almost have to feel bad for him: He did his best to cancel me, but instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.” He accused Trump of targeting not just him but other late-night hosts like Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, urging viewers, “We have to speak out against this guy, because he’s not stopping.”
David Letterman, the longest-serving late-night host in television history and a mentor to Kimmel, weighed in with his own message on YouTube. According to Deadline, Letterman praised Kimmel’s first monologue back as “word perfect,” calling it “funny, powerful, and moving” and “quite a document” that offered hope in what he described as a bleak moment for free speech. Letterman didn’t mince words about Trump, calling him “a dictator” and a threat to democracy. He warned, “This is what dictators do,” and cautioned against being “stunned” by Trump’s conduct after years of similar behavior. Letterman even laughed off Trump’s recent insults on Truth Social—where Trump called Letterman “overrated” and a “loser”—saying it was “a little like the pot calling the kettle black” and describing Trump as a “big tubby goofball.”
The mentor-protégé relationship between Letterman and Kimmel was on full display, with Kimmel crediting Letterman as his biggest influence. Their shared stance on the importance of free speech in comedy resonated throughout the week’s events.
By Friday, September 26, 2025, Sinclair and Nexstar announced they would resume airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on their ABC affiliate stations, citing a desire to serve the widest possible audience and a renewed commitment to First Amendment values. The move followed mounting political pressure and public scrutiny, as well as a clear signal from ABC and Disney that supporting creative expression—even when it’s controversial—remains a core value.
As the dust settles, the episode stands as a reminder of the delicate balance between free speech, corporate responsibility, and political influence in American media. Kimmel’s return, bolstered by support from across the political spectrum and the entertainment world, has reignited a national conversation about who gets to speak, who decides what can be said, and what it means to defend those rights in a divided country.
For now, viewers can once again tune in to "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"—and, perhaps, reflect on just how fragile and fiercely contested the stage for late-night comedy has become.
