Jimmy Kimmel made a tearful return to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday night, but he still didn’t apologize for his controversial claims linking conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin to the MAGA movement. The late-night host had been off the air for nearly a week after ABC suspended his show over the inflammatory remarks.
During his monologue, Kimmel stood firm on his earlier statements about suspect Tyler Robinson’s possible ties to MAGA supporters. Yet, he got emotional while honoring Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, for her act of forgiveness. “She forgave him. 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,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking.
“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,” he added later.
The drama started last Wednesday when Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination sparked major backlash from conservatives. Critics slammed the host for spreading false info, and his refusal to back down only fueled the fire. ABC pulled the plug on the show amid the outrage.
Sources say Kimmel worked out his comeback with Disney bigwigs Bob Iger and Dana Walden, though details on any deal remain under wraps.
The suspension ignited a wave of protests against Disney and ABC. Fans accused the company of censoring free speech, leading to boycotts and canceled Disney+ subscriptions. Radio star Howard Stern joined in, ditching his sub in solidarity.
Even inside Disney, voices rose against the decision. Former CEO Michael Eisner called it a “cowardly surrender” to pressure from regulators like the FCC.
Not all affiliates fell in line. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which runs 41 ABC stations, announced it won’t air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” anymore. Starting Tuesday, they’ll swap it for news programming. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” Sinclair said in a statement.
Nexstar Media Group followed suit on its 32 ABC affiliates, preempting the show for now. These stations cluster mostly on the East Coast, hitting markets in Syracuse, Albany, and Hartford.
The White House pushed back on claims of government meddling, denying any role in the Jimmy Kimmel suspension or broader speech suppression.
This story is developing—stay tuned for more updates on the Jimmy Kimmel controversy, Charlie Kirk assassination fallout, and Disney boycott reactions.
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