Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional and somewhat triumphant return to his ABC late night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after a weeklong suspension, while a nationwide debate continues Wednesday over free speech and the role government should play in what broadcast networks choose to air.
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Kimmel was suspended last week by ABC, which is owned by Disney, following the host's comments about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The remarks sparked a firestorm of criticism among many Kirk supporters, conservatives and President Donald Trump.
"It was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man. I don't think there's anything funny about it," Kimmel said, his voice cracking, during his opening monologue Tuesday.
But the comedian's remarks focused largely on the issue of free speech -- thanking people who supported his right to express his opinion, including Republicans such as Sen. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.
"This show is not important," Kimmel said. "What's important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this."
The monologue also included criticism of Trump, whom he accused of trying to stifle speech that he does not like.
"A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn't like is anti-American," Kimmel said.
Trump had a clear and immediate response to Kimmel's return to the airwaves, which he posted on his social media site Truth Social.
"I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back," Trump posted. "The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! I think we're going to test ABC out on this. Let's see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative."
Disney executives suspended Kimmel's show last Wednesday after remarks he made about the killing of Kirk.
On his show Sept. 15, Kimmel said, "We hit 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."
Disney's statement suspending Kimmel for those remarks read, "Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive."
But the company relented this week, announcing Monday that Kimmel would be returning to his late-night show.
"We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday," Disney officials said in a statement.
On his show Tuesday, Kimmel tried to explain his earlier remarks, saying it was not "my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual that was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make."
"I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both," Kimmel said. "And for those who think I did, point a finger, I get why you're upset. If the situation was reversed, it was a good chance I'd have felt the same way. I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don't agree on politics at all.
"I don't think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution and it isn't."
Even though Kimmel's show returned to production, not all ABC affiliates resumed airing the program.
Sinclair, the nation's largest ABC affiliate group, said last week its stations would not air "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on any of its stations until "formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network's commitment to professionalism and accountability."
Following Disney's announcement about the show's return, Sinclair issued a statement Monday afternoon saying, "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting `Jimmy Kimmel Live!' across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return."
The company last week had called upon Kimmel "to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA."
Nexstar Media Group last week also said its television stations would not air the show in response to Kimmel's remarks.
"Mr. Kimmel's comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located," Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar's broadcasting division, said in a statement.
"Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue."
Sinclair and Nexstar aired alternate programming and refused to air the return of Kimmel's show Tuesday night.
The announcement from Disney reinstating the show came about an hour after a group of Southland Democratic lawmakers gathered in Hollywood on Tuesday to denounce the show's suspension.
"The reason that this should concern all Americans is that this administration's actions could threaten speech for both conservatives and liberals," Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Los Angeles, said during the late-morning news conference near the El Capitan Entertainment Complex on Hollywood Boulevard, where Kimmel's show is based.
"This cuts all ways. In fact, even (Republican) Senator Ted Cruz, an official who I agree with very infrequently, recently said that what Trump's (Federal Communications Commission) did was, quote, `incredibly dangerous.' ... So again this is not a partisan issue, it is an American issue."
The show of support came on the same day the American Civil Liberties Union published an open letter in support of Kimmel -- signed by more than 400 "artists," including Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Bateman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, Natalie Portman, Regina King, Jane Fonda and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
"We now find ourselves in a modern McCarthy era, facing exactly the type of heavy-handed government censorship our Constitution rightfully forbids," ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero said in a statement. "The silencing of Jimmy Kimmel and jawboning of media outlets through lawsuits and threats to their licenses evoke dark memories of the 1950s."
ABC announced last week it was at least temporarily pulling the plug on production on its late-night staple, which has aired since 2004.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr lashed out at Kimmel last Wednesday, suggesting the agency would consider taking action against ABC affiliates that continued to air Kimmel's show. Carr, appearing on a podcast, said affiliates should refuse to air Kimmel due to "the possibility of license revocation from the FCC."
Among those taking part in Monday's Hollywood gathering in support of Kimmel were Reps. Ted Lieu, Judy Chu, Nanette Barragán and Gil Cisneros. They were joined by members of the Writers Guild of America; the Directors Guild of America; the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); and the Teamsters, discussing the impact of Kimmel's suspension on the industry in general.
"Free speech is not a suggestion or a footnote, it is the very first amendment of the Constitution," Friedman said. "Put first because the founding fathers in their wisdom understood just how important it was in a democracy to have free speech.
"This was the government that they envisioned and we have kept healthy for almost 250 years. It's clear that Trump's allies think the First Amendment comes with an asterisk. They think that it means you get free speech as long as Donald Trump likes it."
Trump last week hailed Kimmel's suspension on his Truth Social site, writing "Great news for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is cancelled. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has zero talent and worse ratings than even (Stephen) Colbert, if that's possible. That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth (Meyers), two total losers, on fake news NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!"
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged with murder, and prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
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