Jimmy Kimmel Comeback: Late Night Host Fights Back Tears on Show Return and Weeps he 'Never Intended' to 'Make Light' of Charlie Kirk's Death
Jimmy Kimmel fought back tears as he addressed his controversial Charlie Kirk comments while making his return to the airwaves on Tuesday night.
Sept. 24 2025, Published 5:17 a.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel fought back tears during his TV comeback last night after he was pulled off air for comments relating to Charlie Kirk's death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the funnyman, whose late night show had been suspended since last Wednesday, addressed the controversial remarks made about the late MAGA star — and his alleged shooter — in his opening monologue, which also saw Kimmel thank his fellow talk show hosts and take a fresh swipe at Donald Trump.
'Happy To Be Here'
Kimmel was greeted on stage by a rapturous audience who were chanting his name.
Entering the stage to chants of "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy" from the audience, the comedian opened the highly anticipated show with a crack, "If you're just joining us, we are preempting your regularly scheduled encore episode of Celebrity Family Feud to bring you this special report", a nod to the series aired in place of his show while off air.
"I'm happy to be here tonight," he added.
"I'm not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol," he said with a chuckle.
The host's voice cracked as he opened up about the murder of activist Kirk and cleared the air, denouncing his killing unequivocally, but he did not apologize for his comments — opting to clarify them.
He continued: "I do want to 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," he said as he fought back tears.
Opening Monolgue
Kimmel answered his critics during opening speech.
"I posted a message on Instagram the day he was killed, sending love to (Kirk's) 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 was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.
He continued: "That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some that felt either it was 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. 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.
No Apology
Kimmel clarified his comments on Kirk, rather than apologize for them.
"This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution and it isn't it ever and also, selfishly, I am the person who gets a lot of threats.
"I get many ugly and scary threats against my life, my wife, my kids, my co workers because of what I choose to say, and I know those threats don't come from the kind of people on the right who I know and love."
"So that's what I wanted to say on that subject," he added.
Kimmel then turned to the First Amendment, explaining that he's spoken with comedians in countries like Russia and from the Middle East who said they'd be thrown in jail or worse for making fun of those in power.
"They know how lucky we are here," he explained.
Kimmel took aim at Donald Trump, saying he 'can't take a joke'.
"Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country, and that's something I'm embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Steven (Colbert) off the air and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air.
"That's not legal. That's not American. That is un-American."
Kimmel shared a clip of Trump vehemently heralding free speech in 2022.
He then played another quote from the president, which was from this week, in which he said of Kimmel "Look, he was fired. He had no talent. He's a whack job, but he had no talent. More importantly, then no talent, because a lot of people who have no talent get ratings, he had no ratings," to which Kimmel's audience booed.
Kimmel dressed up with Guillermo Rodriguez in a pre-show skit.
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Kimmel, who dressed up as a bear alongside sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez, wearing a banana costume, during a brief pre-show skit, then joked "He tried, did his best to cancel me instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show which backfired 'bigly'.
"He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now," to which his audience erupted in raucous applause.
He also expressed his gratitude to ABC for allowing him to speak freely over the years, but also said he did not agree with their decision for pulling him off the air last week.
He said after many conversations: "They welcomed me back on the air, and I thank them for that."
He also said that because of that decision, he believes it puts ABC, and Kimmel's own show staff, at risk with the Trump administration.
"Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke," he said.
Kimmel paid tribute to Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, who forgave his killer.
Later in the monologue, Kimmel again fought back tears as he spoke about Kirk's widow, Erika, who said during her husband's memorial over the weekend that she forgave her husband's killer.
"Erica Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. 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 that, it a selfless act of grace forgiveness from a grieving widow.
"It touched me deeply," he said, as his voice quivered.
"And if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope we can do that and not this."
