OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
8:55 AM – Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel received standing ovations and chants of “Jimmy, Jimmy,” upon his return to the studio.
Kimmel’s show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was suspended last week after insensitive comments regarding the shooter who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month.
“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,” Kimmel said at the time.
Kimmel also criticized President Donald Trump for what he deemed an insufficient reaction to the murder, though he acknowledged the president’s response of ordering the flags to be flown at half-mast.
Despite Kimmel’s accusations, all evidence thus far suggests the suspected killer was anything but a Trump supporter, with him having engraved antifascist and LGBTQ+ rhetoric onto his bullet casings, and being in a relationship with a biological man who identifies as transgender.
The suspension of Kimmel’s show garnered widespread concern and protests. An ABC studio faced a drive-by shooting shortly after the news emerged.
In his opening monologue, Kimmel expressed his gratitude to ABC for allowing him back on the air. He was also grateful to those who reached out to him in support, including Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Howard Stern, as well as those who supported his right to free speech despite disagreeing with him, including Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, and GOP Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Kimmel specifically mentioned Ted Cruz (R-Texas), playing audio clips of what the Senator had to say about his show.
“I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired,” Cruz said in the first clip, played jokingly by Kimmel.
“But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said. We’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like.’ That will end up bad for conservatives,” Cruz stated in another audio clip.
“I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right,” Kimmel said.
The talk show host took a moment during the monologue to attempt to explain his previous comments about Kirk’s assassination, while not explicitly apologizing.
“If you like me, you like me. If you don’t you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind. But I do want to 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,” Kimmel said, getting choked up. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel referenced an Instagram post he made on the day of Kirk’s death, sending “love to the Kirks,” and said that sentiment still stands.
At the end of his 17-minute monologue, the host got emotional once again while referencing the speech made on Sunday by Erika Kirk, the widow of the slain conservative commentator, at the memorial for her husband.
“There was a beautiful moment over the weekend, a very beautiful moment. I don’t know if you saw this on Sunday. Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow,” he said, voice thick. “If you believe the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply, and I hope that it touches many. And if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this.”
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