Jimmy Kimmel returned on Sept. 23 from his indefinite suspension following comments he made about Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer.
His show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was suspended by Disney’s ABC on Sept. 17 after Kimmel’s comments drew conservative outrage and the ire of Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, who threatened to “take action” against the show before the suspension.
On Sept. 22, Disney announced the lifting of Kimmel’s suspension after “thoughtful conversations.”
“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,” Disney said in a statement to USA TODAY. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. 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.”
However, not everyone was able to see Kimmel’s return show. Nexstar and Sinclair, which has 70 ABC stations nationwide combined, refused to air the show.
What did Jimmy Kimmel say in first show back?
Kimmel returned to a standing ovation from the studio audience. Here’s what the late-night show host said during his opening monologue in his first show following a week-long suspension:
“Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted… If you are just joining us, we are pre-empting you encore episode of ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ to being you this special report. I am happy to be here tonight with you.
“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 people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days. Everyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times. Weird characters from my past. The guy who fired me from my first radio show in Seattle, where we are not airing tonight. Sorry, Seattle. His name is Larry. In 1989, Larry tried to force me to do a bit called jokes for donuts, where people would call in with a joke and I would give them donuts. I refused to do it and I made a lot fun of Larry for suggesting it. Eventually Larry fired me and I had to move back in with my parents. But even he wrote in to cheer me up. Thank you, Larry, and I want to thank everyone who checked in.
“Some that I do want to especially mention are my fellow late-night talk show hosts. My friend Stephen Colbert, who has found himself in this predicament. My friends Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Arsenio, Kathy, Wanda, Chelsea, even Jay reached out.
“I heard from late night hosts in other countries, from Ireland and Germany. The guy in Germany offered me a job. Can you imagine this country has become authoritarian the Germans are like, ‘Come here.’
“My boyhood idols, Howard Stern and David Letterman, were very considerate and kind and I feel honored to be part of a group of people who know what goes into making a show like this.
“I also want to thank all of you. I do. Who supported our show and cared enough to do something about it to make your voices heard so that mine can be heard. I will never forget it.
“Most of all I want to thank the people who don’t support my show or what I believe but support my right to share those beliefs anyway. People I never would have imagined like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who believe it or not said something very beautiful on my behalf.”
Ted Cruz audio clip: “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired.”
Kimmel: “No wait, not that. The other part.”
Cruz audio clip: “But let me tell you if the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you the media have said. We are going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like.’ That will end up bad for conservatives.”
Kimmel: “I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right. He is absolutely right.
“It affects all of us, including him. Think about it. If Ted Cruz can’t speak freely, then he can’t cast spells on the Smurfs.
“Even though I don’t agree with many of those people on most subjects, some of things they say even make me want to throw up. It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration and they did and they deserve credit for it. And thanks. Telling their followers that our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television and that we have to stand up to it.”
USA Today contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jimmy Kimmel returns following suspension. Here’s what he said
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