ABC
Jimmy Kimmel got extremely emotional while addressing the controversy surrounding his show following the death of Charlie Kirk. After Kirk was shot and killed at an event in Utah, Kimmel made comments about Kirk’s killer and President Trump that angered many on social media.
“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.”
“In between the finger-pointing, there was, uh, grieving on Friday − the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism, but on a human level, you can see how hard the president is taking this.”
“Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. Demolition, construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend; this is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK? And it didn’t just happen once.”
ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel after FCC chairman Brendan Carr threatened to punish the network if the late-night host wasn’t taken off the airwaves.
On Monday, ABC decided to reinstate Kimmel following the brief suspension.
Disney just released a statement saying Jimmy Kimmel is coming back on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/ZYylD19rQC
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During the opening monologue on his first show back from suspension, Kimmel got emotional while addressing the controversy surrounding his show.
“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,” he said. “I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it. And I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions — it was a deeply disturbed individual.
“That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but to some, that felt 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 would have felt the same way. I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone, this was a sick person who believed violence was a solution, and it isn’t.”
Jimmy Kimmel chokes up during his first show back:
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man […] nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”pic.twitter.com/KHM2K39lI4
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 24, 2025