Jimmy Kimmel Tears Up During Emotional Monologue, Slams Trump and FCC: ‘Never Imagined I’d Be in a Situation Like This’

Jimmy Kimmel returned to the spotlight after ABC reversed its decision to “indefinitely” pull his late-night show.

ABC announced on Monday, Sept. 22, that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would return to air on Tuesday, Sept. 23 — just shy of a week after the show was put on an indefinite hiatus on Wednesday, Sept. 17, following Kimmel’s recent remarks about the late Charlie Kirk.

“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” The Walt Disney Company said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. 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.”

The episode opened with a montage of news clips featuring journalists and commentators discussing Kimmel’s suspension and return. It then cut to Kimmel and his sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez in playful costumes, acknowledging they had to shake things up for the special episode.

The comedian took the stage to a packed studio audience, who erupted into cheers and a standing ovation. Kimmel thanked fans before jokingly referencing the suspension: “Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted.”

“If you’re just joining us, we are preempting your regularly scheduled encore episode of Celebrity Family Feud to bring you this special report. I’m happy to be here tonight with you,” he said.

He continued, “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 — everyone I’ve ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times. 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.”

Kimmel expressed gratitude to fellow late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Arsenio Hall, Kathy Griffin, Wanda Sykes, Chelsea Handler, and even Jay Leno.

He also acknowledged those across the political aisle. “And maybe weirdly, 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 like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Ryan Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who said something very beautiful on my behalf.”

Getting serious, Kimmel said, “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.”

Addressing the comments that led to his suspension, he grew emotional. “I do want to make something clear: it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” referencing Kirk’s assassination. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”

Kimmel explained that he had posted a message on Instagram on the day Kirk was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some, it 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.”

He emphasized the importance of free speech: “If we don’t have free speech, then we just don’t have a free country. It’s as simple as that.”

Kimmel also addressed media issues, sharing a clip of President Donald Trump commenting on the show’s suspension. He highlighted that the Pentagon requires journalists to sign pledges not to report unauthorized information, noting, “It’s so important to have a free press and it’s nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it.”

He reflected on his comedic influences, saying, “I barely paid attention in school, but I did learn from Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Howard Stern that a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.”

The network’s initial decision to pull Kimmel’s show came after Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would preempt airings of Jimmy Kimmel Live! across ABC affiliates due to Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s murder, which they condemned.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator, was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 at the age of 31. A memorial was held for Kirk on Sept. 21.

Kimmel’s controversial comments addressed both Kirk and his accused killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, charged with aggravated murder. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” he said during the Sept. 15 episode. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

He also mocked President Trump’s response to Kirk’s death, noting, “Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction.” Kimmel added, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, okay?”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr praised both Nexstar and Sinclair for their decision to preempt the show. Nexstar recently announced plans to acquire Tegna for over $6 billion, which would expand its reach into 80% of American households, pending approval from the Trump-controlled, Carr-run FCC.

Sinclair had demanded that Kimmel issue a “direct apology to the Kirk family” and make a “meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA” before returning the show. Following Disney’s reversal, both Sinclair and Nexstar said they would continue preempting the show in local markets.

Immediately after Kirk’s death, Kimmel took to social media to denounce the killing as “horrible and monstrous,” sending love to Kirk’s family and all victims of senseless gun violence.

Kimmel, who has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC since 2003, has long been critical of Trump. The former president celebrated Kimmel’s temporary removal, calling him “fired for lack of talent.”

Following ABC’s decision, Kimmel received widespread support from Hollywood peers, industry unions, and fellow late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, and Colbert.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.