Last week, in a bid to please Trump and MAGA, ABC abruptly announced that it was pulling Kimmel’s show indefinitely. The decision came after MAGA fanatics became furious over a monologue where he made a quip about Charlie Kirk and mocked Trump’s nonchalant reaction to his sycophant’s murder.
The move generated swift backlash from celebrities and viewers alike. Musicians like Sarah McLachlan and Jewel are pulling out of a Disney documentary launch. Additionally, hundreds of other stars, including Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, and Jennifer Aniston, signed an open letter slamming Kimmel’s suspension as an attack on the First Amendment.
Audiences, meanwhile, said they were canceling their subscriptions to Disney’s streaming services in protest. Trump was quick to do his little victory dance after Kimmel’s suspension, calling it “great news for America” in a Truth Social post.
However, the MAGA celebration didn’t last long as Jimmy Kimmel made a comeback to his late-night time slot on Tuesday. Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is returning after “having thoughtful conversations” with the comedian.
Return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! And the Opening Monologue
Jimmy Kimmel opened the show by addressing the backlash to his remarks on Charlie Kirk. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” Kimmel said as his voice broke with emotion. “I understand that to some, that felt either 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.”
Next, Kimmel thanked his fellow late-night hosts for rallying around him. Kimmel said he felt even more grateful for “the people who don’t support my show and what I believe but support my right to share those beliefs anyway.” He also thanked the unlikely right-wing supporters who stood by his side, including Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz.
Ultimately, Kimmel added, “This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.” But the show couldn’t be over without him addressing Trump and the MAGA crowd. Kimmel criticized Trump for threatening to “silence a comedian the government doesn’t like,” calling such actions “anti-American.”
“Our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television,” Kimmel said. “The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”
Trump Still Refuses to Take a Joke
Trump didn’t take the news of Jimmy Kimmel’s return positively. He went on a rant on his Truth Social network shortly before Kimmel’s return. Trump called ABC “a true bunch of losers” for reviving Jimmy Kimmel Live! And then threatened to “test ABC out on this” with another lawsuit.
ABC News had to pay $15m to Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit in December after its star anchor falsely said that Trump had been found “liable for rape”. George Stephanopoulos made the statements repeatedly during an interview on 10 March 2024 while challenging a congresswoman about her support for Trump.
A jury in a civil case last year determined Trump was liable for “sexual abuse”, which has a specific definition under New York law. As part of Saturday’s settlement, first reported by Fox News Digital, ABC also published an editor’s note expressing its “regret” for the statements by Stephanopoulos.
Trump continued to call Kimmel “yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.” Unsurprisingly, Trump didn’t provide any evidence to support his claims. He added shamelessly, “Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
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