Jimmy Kimmel's Emotional Return: Defending Free Speech Amid Controversy

Sun Oct 19 2025 20:03:01 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In his first appearance since a brief suspension, Jimmy Kimmel passionately addresses threats to free speech in the U.S., expressing his deep regret over recent comments while drawing comparisons to political figures.

Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television in an emotional episode, fiercely defending free speech and condemning 'anti-American' sentiments after a suspension linked to comments about the murder of activist Charlie Kirk. He criticized political figures like FCC chair Brendan Carr and former President Trump, while also expressing remorse over the unintended offense from his prior comments.

An emotional Jimmy Kimmel has criticized 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.

However, 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 decided they would continue to replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with alternate programming for now.

Carr praised their decision in a post on X on Tuesday, stating, We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license.

Speaking on Tuesday's programme, Kimmel stated he did not aim 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, noting that Carr was once a free speech advocate but seemed to have changed after Kimmel's controversial comments.

He pointed out how Trump has called for the cancellation of his fellow late-night hosts, all frequent critics of the president. Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke, Kimmel remarked, labeling Trump's actions as un-American and dangerous.

On Monday, Disney announced it would reinstate the show after conversations with Kimmel. Still, Nexstar stated it would continue to pre-empt Kimmel's show pending assurance that all parties are committed to an environment promoting respectful dialogue.

The media company is also trying to close a significant deal that requires approval from the FCC.

Overall, Kimmel's return highlights ongoing tensions around free speech and media expression in contemporary America, especially amidst significant political pressures.