By Dominic DiIorio

Staff Writer

Jimmy Kimmel returned to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Sept. 23, 2025, after a six-day suspension for remarks he made about political activist Charlie Kirk shortly after Kirk’s assassination.

“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,” Kimmel told viewers in his opening remarks. He added that his comments were meant as satire rather than mockery.

With his apologies, Kimmel also spoke about the importance of freedom of speech. “Comedy has always pushed boundaries,” he stated. “Satire is one of the ways we make sense of difficult events, and I believe in the right to do that without being silenced.”

Following his statement, ABC’s parent company, Disney, officially reinstated Kimmel, but the issues surrounding the controversy have not fully subsided.

Many of ABC’s affiliates, including some owned by Sinclair and Nexstar, publicly announced they would not immediately resume airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” unless the host offered “additional assurances” of “standards of respect in public discourse.”

However, on Sept. 26, 2025, the affiliates ended their preemption, allowing the show to return to its nationwide schedule.

The fallout also drew criticism from government officials, including FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who criticized ABC for what he deemed “irresponsible content” and raised questions about regulatory oversight.

Meanwhile, many figures in entertainment, including current and former show hosts, defended Kimmel’s right to satire. David Letterman warned at The Atlantic Festival on Sept. 18, 2025, that “in a dictatorship, sooner or later, everyone is going to be touched.”

Conan O’Brien also offered words of disapproval, posting online: “The suspension of @jimmykimmel and the promise to silence other Late Night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the Right, Left, and Center. It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”

Kimmel remains on the air. The host has made clear he is sorry for any offense but has also embraced the conversation on free speech.