"Was really the opposite of the point": Jimmy Kimmel opens up on his return to the late night show following latest controversy

Jimmy Kimmel returned to TV on September 23, 2025, after his week-long suspension by ABC. The suspension of the American late-night talk show ignited massive public debate and controversy in the entertainment sphere.

Kimmel finally walked back onto our screens with the new episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after almost a week over his comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Meanwhile, Kimmel’s return was anything but normal. More than 25% of ABC’s local affiliates, including major groups like Nexstar and Sinclair, refused to air the show. The decision left millions of fans in cities such as St. Louis, Nashville, and Richmond unable to watch the show.

Even after this limited viewership, the episode premiered in front of a packed Hollywood audience. The crowd gave Kimmel a standing ovation and broke into loud chants. When he finally addressed the controversy, Kimmel spoke openly,

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. I posted a message on Instagram of the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it. I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make”.

Jimmy Kimmel responds to controversy

Jimmy Kimmel didn’t shy away from the controversy, as he directly addressed the remarks and backlash that got him suspended last week. During his initial monologue segment, he clarified both what he intended with his initial report and also how he felt regarding the vehement backlash that followed.

He acknowledged that some of his comments may have been “ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both,” and accepted responsibility for hurting and enraging those who reacted otherwise.

Jimmy Kimmel also talked about Kirk’s widow, Erika, saying,

“That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was, that’s it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. If there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that.”

This comes after she publicly forgave her husband’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, during an emotional speech at Kirk's memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025.

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Kimmel also got candid regarding what went down off-camera with ABC. He alleged he opposed the network’s suspension of him and wasn’t embarrassed about the direction the negotiations took,

“I was not happy when they pulled me off the air on Wednesday. I did not agree with that decision, and I told them that, and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view, they shared theirs. We talked it through, and at the end, even though they didn't have to, they really didn't have to, this is a giant company…they welcomed me back on the air.”

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