Jimmy Kimmel teared up during his comeback monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as he apologized for his words and thanked those who stood by him following his suspension.
The show came back on Tuesday, September 23 after having been suspended ‘indefinitely’.
Kimmel had been suspended by ABC
ABC announced on Monday, September 22 that Kimmel’s talk show would return to air on Tuesday, September 23.
This came just six days after it had been suspended ‘indefinitely’ for the host’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s murder on Wednesday, September 17.
His words were ‘ill-timed’
Of the suspension, Disney said in a statement, “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
They announced his return, adding, “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.”
Kimmel came back with another monologue
On Tuesday, September 23, Kimmel took the stage in front of his studio audience whom he thanked for their cheers as they gave him a standing ovation.
He jokingly acknowledged the suspension, saying, “Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted.”
He told the audience he was happy to be there
Kimmel went on to say that he was ‘happy to be here’ with the audience, before continuing, “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.”
People from his past reached out to him
Kimmel added, “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.”
He then went on to thank everyone who checked up on him, including ‘fellow late-night talk show hosts’ and viewers 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.’
He thanked people on the other side too
Kimmel added, “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.”
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Then Kimmel got serious
Following his jokes, Kimmel got serious, saying, “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.”
He began to tear up
Acknowledging his comments that led to the suspension, Kimmel said in a choked up voice, “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.”
“I don’t, I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel said he didn’t mean to blame anyone
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual,” the host added.
“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.”
He went on to mention free speech
Kimmel added, “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.”
He then mentioned free speech, saying, “If we don’t have free speech, then we just don’t have a free country. It’s as simple as that.”
