Emotional Jimmy Kimmel says in late-night return he never intended to make light of Kirk’s killing
Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television after a nearly weeklong suspension and, in an emotional monologue where he appeared close to tears, said that he wasn't trying to joke about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! makes a comeback
“I have no illusions about changing anyone's mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it's important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," Jimmy said on Tuesday night. "I don't think there's anything funny about it.”
He added that he wasn't trying 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.” He said he understood his remarks last week to some “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
But he made no apologies. And he criticised the ABC affiliates who took his show off the air. Two stations groups that represent about a quarter of ABC stations, Sinclair and Nexstar, ordered their outlets not to show Jimmy.
“That's not legal,” Jimmy said. “That's not American. It's un-American.”
The incident triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and President Donald Trump's ability to police the words of journalists, commentators and even comics.
ABC suspended Jimmy's show last Wednesday following criticism of his remarks about the aftermath of Kirk's killing. But the network brought him back following a backlash against parent company Disney.
Jimmy thanked many supporters, including fellow late-night hosts past and present and even a former boss at a radio station in Seattle who checked in with him last week. He also singled out people he knows aren't fans of his comedy but stood up for his right to speak, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
"It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration," he said. "They did and they deserve credit for it.”
Jimmy nearly broke down again in praising Kirk's widow, Erica, who publicly forgave her husband's killer.
“That is an example we should follow,” he said. “If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was... A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many. And if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that. And not this.”
Jimmy admitted that he was mad when ABC suspended him, but praised his bosses for putting him back on the air. “Unjustly, this puts them at risk.”
He mocked Trump for criticising him for bad ratings. “He tried his best to cancel me and instead he forced millions of people to watch this show,” Jimmy said.
Some consumers punished ABC parent Disney by cancelling subscriptions to its streaming services.
Actor Robert De Niro appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, impersonating Carr being interviewed by Kimmel. Robert, as Carr, said the FCC had a new motto, “sticks and stones can break your bones.”
Isn't there more to the saying, Jimmy asked, that words can never hurt you? “They can hurt you now,” Robert De Niro responded, saying you have to make sure to say the right ones.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.