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It was the most anticipated monologue in the history of late-night television.
And Jimmy Kimmel came through. In a way perhaps no one really saw coming.
On Tuesday night, the comedian took the stage of his talk show… six days after Disney made the shocking decision to suspend him from the air for remarks Kimmel made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Was the host angry? Bitter? Vengeful? Hilarious?
Not really. Kimmel was emotional.
“If you’re just joining us, we are preempting your regularly scheduled encore episode of Celebrity Family Feud to bring you this special report. I’m happy to be here tonight with you,” Kimmel said after receiving a standing ovation, referring to the actual program that replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! on many affiliates around the nation last week.
He continued:
“I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol. It’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days. Anyone I’ve ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times.
“Weird characters from my past, or the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle, not airing tonight by the way. Sorry Seattle, his name is Larry.”
Over the last week or so, pretty much every celebrity has offered his or her support for Kimmel.
President Donald Trump, who said Kimmel’s alleged firing was “great for America?” Not so much.
The host therefore played a clip of Trump celebrating the news from last week.
Kimmel also explained that the Pentagon is having journalists sign a pledge that they won’t report on information they hasn’t been authorized by the entity itself.
“I know it’s not as interesting as muzzling a comedian but it’s so important to have a free press and it’s nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it,” he said. “Walter Cronkite must be spinning in his grave. He’s dead right?”
This is about where Kimmel teared up on air.
It was never his intention to be a martyr or a role model or really anything but someone who waned to make others laugh.
Said Kimmel on air:
“I never imagined I’d be in a situation like this — I barely paid attention in school.
“But one thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and Howard Stern is a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.”
Along with thanking his fellow talk show host for their kind words in the wake of his suspension, Kimmel also thanked those who “supported our show, cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so that mine will be heard. I will never forget it.”
His appreciation went on the other side of the aisle as well:
“And maybe weirdly, maybe maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway.
“People who I never would have imagined like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Ryan Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who believe it or not said something very beautiful on my behalf.”
It’s true. Nearly everyone agrees that the brazen violation of the First Amendment by the Trump administration was flatly wrong.
Kimmel shared this Instagram message hours before he returned to his show.
The father of three went on to acknowledge his previous comments that led to the suspension, getting choked up over the topic.
“I do wanna make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human, and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” referencing Kirk’s assassination. “I don’t, I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
He continued:
“I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it and 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. But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.
“And for those who think I did point a finger. I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”
Simply put?
“If we don’t have free speech, then we just don’t have a free country. It’s as simple as that,” Kimmel emphasized, after also telling viewers:
“I’ve been hearing a lot about what I need to say and do tonight. And the truth is, I don’t think what I have to say is going to make much of a difference. If you like me, you like me. If you don’t, you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind.”
Kimmel’s comments that have come under fire pertained to Kirk and his accused killer, Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk’s death.
In reality, they pertained to the reaction to this killing. But here they are:
“We anthem some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said during the Monday, September 15 episode.
We’re so glad he’s back.
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