Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night talk show on ABC, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, on Tuesday night and he gave an emotional explanation. Kimmel had been suspended by ABC for insensitive comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
"I'm happy to be here with you all," Kimmel said at the top of his Tuesday, Sept. 23, monologue, thanking all of his friends and supporters.
He joked about preempting Celebrity Family Feud, and then became serious and emotional.
"You understand that it was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man. I don't think there's anything funny about it," Kimmel said.
"I understand that 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," he said.
A social media and political firestorm followed his insensitive comments earlier in the month, including reactions from President Donald J. Trump and the FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Trump wasn't happy about Kimmel's return on Tuesday. He posted that he was told Kimmel's show was canceled.
"I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his "talent" was never there," Trump posted to his social platforms.
Our parent company Sinclair has decided to preempt Kimmel's show with news programming for the time being. So Sinclair stations will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live!