An emotional Jimmy Kimmel has criticised “anti-American” threats to free speech during his return to late-night US television – following a brief suspension after comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The comedian said during Tuesday’s show – his first since the controversy – that “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man”.
Kimmel also compared Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr to a mob boss, and poked fun at President Donald Trump’s appearance at the UN – including an escalator mishap.
But Tuesday’s episode was not viewable in all markets, due to resistance from many local stations affiliated with ABC.
It was, however, available on streaming service Hulu + Live TV, owned by Disney – which is also the parent of ABC.
Dozens of local TV stations in the US run by affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair said they would continue to replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with alternate programming for now.
Carr – who leads the organisation that regulates American television – praised their decision in a post on X on Tuesday.
“We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license,” said Carr, a Trump appointee, who last week threatened action against Disney and ABC, the companies that produce and air Kimmel’s show.
Speaking on Tuesday’s programme, Kimmel said he had not wanted to blame any specific group for Kirk’s murder, and praised Erika Kirk for forgiving her husband’s alleged killer at a weekend memorial service.
“It was a selfless act of grace… that touched me deeply,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel was critical of Carr, who was one of the first to call for his suspension, saying that the FCC chair boss was once a free speech advocate, but flipped after Kimmel’s controversial show last week.
He also criticised Trump for calling for the axing of his fellow late-night hosts – all who are frequent critics of the president as they riff on the day’s biggest news stories.
“Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel said, adding that Trump openly rooting for people to lose their jobs was “un-American” and “dangerous”.
Kimmel also pretended to open a statement written for him to read aloud by Disney, before reading out the words: “How to reactivate your Disney+ subscription”. There had been calls to cancel streaming subscriptions over Kimmel’s brief suspension.
The comedian’s comeback was praised by celebrity supporters, including actor Ben Stiller, who lauded his “brilliant monologue”.
But Kimmel’s return was not universally applauded. About an hour before showtime, Trump said on his social media platform that he could not believe that ABC had reinstated the comedian, saying the White House was told the show was cancelled.
“Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there,” Trump wrote.
Trump also threatened to “test ABC out on this”.
Kimmel’s Tuesday night guests were Twisters and Chad Powers actor Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan.
He was also joined by Hollywood legend and notable Trump critic Robert De Niro, who appeared in a skit in which he portrayed Carr. “Speech, it ain’t free no more,” De Niro quipped.
The comedian’s show was pulled after his 15 September monologue about the shooting of Kirk caused uproar.
He said that Trump and his allies were “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and trying to “score political points from it”.
He also likened Trump’s reaction to the influencer’s murder to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish”.
The jokes raised the ire of Carr, who said Kimmel was “appearing to directly mislead the American public” with his comments about Kirk’s killer.
The FCC regulates radio, TV and satellite airwaves, giving it power over a range of matters, including mergers and decency complaints.
His remarks, coupled with concerns from local broadcasters that run ABC affiliates, prompted the network to “indefinitely” suspend Kimmel’s show.
The show’s suspension prompted strong backlash from lawmakers, labour unions, and free speech proponents. Celebrity campaigns and boycotts targeted Disney, ABC’s parent company.
Kimmel was also backed by his colleagues in late night, including CBS host Stephen Colbert – whose show will end in May – Jon Stewart and Seth Meyers.
Disney made its announcement on Monday that it would bring back the show after “having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy”.
Still, Nexstar, one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US, said on Tuesday that it would continue to pre-empt Kimmel’s show “pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve”.
The media company is currently trying to close a $6.2bn (£4.86bn) deal to acquire its rival Tegna that needs FCC approval.
Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the US, also said it would air alternate programming.
Nexstar and Sinclair together control more than 20% of ABC’s affiliated television stations, according to the New York Times.
