Jimmy Kimmel Returns to Roaring ratings
Jimmy Kimmel got a large standing ovation in his return to late-night TV on Tuesday with chants of “Jimmy, Jimmy” from his studio audience.
In a very emotional monologue, Kimmel kicked off his first show after a week’s suspension by ABC with a reference to Jack Paar when he quit and returned to The Tonight Show in 1960. “As I was saying before I was interrupted…,” he joked.
Kimmel, in his first show since September 16, thanked his fans and those who “don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs.” ” He added that, “Our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television.”
He got emotional when referencing Charlie Kirk. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. I posted a message on Instagram of the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it. I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, 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. 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,” he said.
He also praised Kirk’s widow Erika. He referenced the fact that she forgave the alleged killer over the weekend.
“That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was, that’s it, a selfless act of grace forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. If there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that,” he added.
Kimmel emphasized that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is not important, but what is important is “that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to meet and spend time with comedians and talk-show hosts from countries like Russia, countries in the Middle East, who told me they would get thrown in prison for making fun of those in power, and worse than being thrown in prison, they know how lucky we are here. Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country, and that’s something I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen Colbert off the air and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air. That’s not legal. That’s not American. That is un-American,” he added.
Kimmel continued to make jokes about Donald Trump as well. He mentioned President Trump's claim that JKL! wasn't getting good ratings. “I do tonight,” he joked. “He did his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this.”
He shared that he did not agree with being pulled off the air “not happy when they pulled me off the air.”
“I did not agree with that decision, and I told them that, and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view, they shared theirs. We talked it through. At the end, even though they didn’t have to, they really didn’t have to, this is a giant company, we have short attention spans, and I am a tiny part of the Disney corporation. They welcomed me back on the air, and I thank them for that.”
“Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” he added.
Elsewhere, he thanked both his fellow late-night hosts including Colbert, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon as well as former late-night hosts such as Conan O’Brien, Chelsea Handler, Wanda Sykes, Arsenio Hall and Jay Leno and his “boyhood idols” Howard Stern and David Letterman.
He also thanked Ben Shapiro, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, people who he doesn’t agree with but support his right to say it.
“Even though I don’t agree with many of those people on most subjects, some of the things they say even make me want to throw up. It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration, and they did, and they deserve credit for that,” he said.
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