In one of the most anticipated monologues in recent late-night history, Jimmy Kimmel returned to the ABC airwaves after a turbulent six days off the air, addressing head-on the controversy that saw him briefly removed and sparking a national conversation about free speech, censorship, and comedy in America.
Kimmel walked on stage to thunderous applause, visibly moved, thanking colleagues, rivals, and even critics across the political spectrum who defended his right to speak freely. “Maybe most of all,” he said, “I want to thank the people who don’t support my show or what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway.”
A Monologue That Mixed Humor, Pain, and Defiance
Throughout his return monologue, Kimmel blended his trademark humor with moments of striking seriousness. He recounted his firing from a Seattle radio job in 1989, ribbed colleagues like Stephen Colbert and John Oliver, and even poked fun at political rivals. But the heart of the night came when he turned to the controversy surrounding his remarks in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said solemnly. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. I sent a message to his family the day he was killed asking for compassion, and I meant it then, and I still do.”
He clarified that he never meant to blame any political group, calling the shooter “a sick person who believed violence was a solution — and it isn’t. Ever.”
Kimmel then referenced the stunning moment from the memorial service when Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer: “That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, there it was — a selfless act of grace.”
“Free Speech Is the Foundation”
Kimmel saved his sharpest words for the FCC and the White House, condemning what he described as mob-like intimidation tactics to silence him. He cited threats from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who he said sounded “more like a mafioso than a regulator.”
“If we don’t have free speech, we don’t have a free country,” Kimmel declared. “It’s that simple. If this most fundamental right perishes, the rest will topple like dominoes.”
The host recalled how comedians in countries like Russia and parts of the Middle East face prison for jokes about those in power, contrasting that with the U.S. tradition of satire as “one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech.”
Tylenol, Trump, and Autism
Kimmel also lampooned former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks with RFK Jr. suggesting a link between Tylenol and autism — a claim rejected by most in the medical community. Trump’s refrain of “Don’t take Tylenol” was replayed and ridiculed, with Kimmel quipping: “This is Tylenol we’re talking about — the thing you take when they won’t let you take anything that actually works.”
In classic Kimmel fashion, the absurdity was used to underscore a serious point: how misinformation, amplified from the highest offices, can endanger lives.
A Return That Felt Historic
After nearly 23 years and almost 4,000 episodes, Kimmel admitted the ordeal had shaken him but also galvanized his resolve. “This show is not important,” he said. “What’s important is that we get to live in a country that allows a show like this.”
He closed by urging Americans to push back against government attempts to muzzle dissent: “We cannot let this stand. If they silence one voice, they’ll silence another, and then another. It doesn’t matter if you love me or hate me — if you love your freedom, you should care.”
The night ended not with laughter, but with a standing ovation.
For Kimmel, it was not just a return to late night. It was a statement — one that placed him, unexpectedly, at the center of one of the most pivotal debates in modern American media.