Jimmy Kimmel is back on KC-area TV station. Here’s what he said in return to air
After almost a week off the air, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returned to television screens across the country Tuesday evening, including on KMBC in Kansas City.
Kimmel landed at the center of a media firestorm over comments he made during a Sept. 15 monologue about the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, prompting ABC to suspend the show indefinitely.
The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, reversed course on Monday as criticism over the late-night host’s suspension mounted.
Kimmel’s Sept. 15 comment, which earned a harsh rebuke from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, centered on the possible motive of Kirk’s alleged assassin, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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 in the Sept. 15 monologue.
On Tuesday, Kimmel called the response to his abrupt and short-lived cancellation “overwhelming” and thanked public figures from across the political spectrum who have spoken up in defense of his right to free speech.
“Most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” Kimmel said during his monologue.
“I never would have imagined that Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who, believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf,” he added. “It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did and they deserve credit for it.”
Referring to his now infamous Sept. 15 monologue, Kimmel said it was not his “intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”
“That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make,” Kimmel said. “But I understand that to some, that felt either 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’d have felt the same way.”
President Donald Trump expressed dismay over Kimmel’s return in a post on his social media platform Tuesday evening, going on to suggest he might sue ABC.
“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!” Trump’s post said.
“I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative,” Trump said, referencing ABC’s recent controversial decision to settle the defamation case brought by Trump over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos.
Two major media companies that own local ABC affiliates, Sinclair and Nexstar, are defying Disney’s decision to return “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to the airwaves. Both companies have said they will continue to preempt Kimmel’s show on their own stations.
Fox4 Kansas City is a Nexstar affiliate, but KMBC, the local ABC station that’s back to carrying Kimmel every weeknight, is owned by Hearst Television.
