Jimmy Kimmel came back to late-night on Tuesday with a pointed, emotional monologue about free speech — and a few sharp elbows for the Trump White House.
The ABC host opened by addressing Disney’s decision to bench Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week after he criticized “MAGA” efforts to score political points in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. Kimmel thanked viewers, fellow late-night hosts, and even conservative figures like Ben Shapiro and Sen. Ted Cruz for defending his right to speak, stressing that his remarks were never about minimizing Kirk’s death, which he called abhorrent, but about the rush to exploit it. Fighting tears, he said, “This show isn’t what matters. What matters is living in a country where shows like this can exist.”
Kimmel also trained fire on FCC chair Brendan Carr, calling the pressure campaign to yank him off air “un-American” and a First Amendment affront, before cutting to a gag comparing Carr to an infamously mocked cybertruck plastered in pro-Trump decals. Then he rolled a 2022 clip of Donald Trump extolling free speech — followed by fresh comments from the president gloating that Kimmel had been “fired” for having “no talent” and “no ratings.”
“Well, I do tonight,” Kimmel cracked to roaring applause, quipping that Trump’s attempt to cancel him only turbocharged his audience: “He tried to silence me and ended up making millions tune in. That backfired — bigly.” Watch below:
The host closed by reiterating that his target was political opportunism, not a grieving family, and by framing his return as a small but necessary stand for creative expression. Meanwhile, Trump kept up the pressure online, threatening ABC and deriding Kimmel’s show as “99% Democrat garbage,” while hinting at legal fights ahead. If Kimmel’s first night back is any indication, he’s not retreating — he’s doubling down on jokes, civic spine, and the kind of live-wire monologue that turned his comeback into must-watch TV.
Kimmel’s return hit 6.3 million views on ABC on Tuesday despite being unavailable in 23% of U.S. households due to preemptions by Nexstar and Sinclair.
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ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! after Charlie Kirk comments
