<\/p>\n
Even before his return to late-night on Tuesday, artists and entertainers<\/a> had rallied around Jimmy Kimmel.<\/p>\n A strong show of support from the Hollywood community, where Kimmel is beloved<\/a>, was, perhaps, expected.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to (all) who supported our show, cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so that mine could be heard. I will never forget it,\u201d Kimmel said during his return monologue on Tuesday, after he thanked his fellow late-night hosts and others by name.<\/p>\n What was more surprising to the comedian was the support he received from some conservatives.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe weirdly, maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who don\u2019t 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, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who, believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf,\u201d Kimmel said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes courage for them to speak out against this administration, and they did, and they deserve credit for it,\u201d Kimmel added. \u201cAnd thanks for telling your 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Kimmel acknowledged his return, after a nearly week-long suspension of his show<\/a> amid pressure from the Trump administration, will make Disney and ABC a target for further scrutiny.<\/p>\n Before the monologue aired, President Trump posted a new legal threat against ABC on Truth Social.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we\u2019re going to test ABC out on this. Let\u2019s see how we do, \u201d Trump claimed<\/a> of Kimmel.<\/p>\n In acknowledging his strange bedfellow supporters, ranging from Sen. Ted Cruz to Howard Stern<\/a>, Kimmel tried to make the point that what has been debated in recent days is bigger than the fate of his show or his career.<\/p>\n \u201cThis show is not important,\u201d Kimmel told viewers. \u201cWhat\u2019s important is that we live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Kimmel\u2019s guests on Tuesday included Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan, who in protest had cancelled a performance<\/a> at a Disney promotional event for an upcoming documentary prior to Kimmel\u2019s return, and actor Glen Powell, a self-described \u201cborn-and-raised\u201d Texan who still calls the red state home.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very good to see you. Thank you for being here. Sorry to pull you into the middle of all of this,\u201d Kimmel told Powell as he welcomed him to the show.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honored. I\u2019m just so happy you\u2019re back,\u201d Powell responded.<\/p>\n Kimmel on Tuesday tried to clarify his comments about reaction<\/a> to Charlie Kirk\u2019s death, which led to the controversy and his temporary suspension.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,\u201d Kimmel said through tears. \u201cNor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.\u201d<\/p>\n He also praised Kirk\u2019s widow, Erika Kirk, for saying at his memorial that she forgives the alleged shooter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt touched me deeply,\u201d he said, \u201cand I hope it touches many, and if there\u2019s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that.\u201d<\/p>\n Some felt Kimmel\u2019s remarks fell short.<\/p>\n \u201cNot good enough,\u201d Andrew Kolvet<\/a>, a spokesman for Kirk\u2019s Turning Point USA, posted on social media.<\/p>\n For insight on how to bridge the current cultural divide, Kimmel turned to the past. He referenced other comedians who had historically been in the middle of debates about the First Amendment and challenged viewers to look at comedy as one form of patriotism.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce<\/a> and George Carlin<\/a> and Howard Stern<\/a> is that a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn\u2019t like is anti-American. That\u2019s anti-American,\u201d Kimmel said. \u201cAnd I am so glad we have some solidarity on that from the right and the left and from those in the middle like Joe Rogan<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe the silver lining from this is we found one thing we can agree on, and maybe we\u2019ll even find another one,\u201d Kimmel added, hopefully. \u201cMaybe we can get a little bit closer together.\u201d<\/p>\nPatriotism and precedent<\/h3>\n