Jimmy Kimmel returns to late night, fails to apologize for Charlie Kirk assassination comments

Jimmy Kimmel returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night, for the first time since his controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The late-night host was suspended for nearly a week but took little time to clarify his comments, declining to offer a direct apology.

“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 in his opening monologue, which was cut several times by audience applause.

Kimmel had previously suggested that Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer, was tied to the MAGA movement. On Tuesday, he attempted to soften that claim. “I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This is a sick person who believes violence is a solution, and it isn’t,” he said.

Referencing Kirk’s memorial service, Kimmel praised Erika Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband’s accused killer. “She forgave him. That is an example we should follow,” Kimmel told viewers. “Forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply.”

Despite striking a more serious tone on Kirk’s death, Kimmel returned to his usual format, taking jab at President Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr. Robert De Niro made a surprise appearance, joking as a mock FCC boss and mocking Kimmel’s critics.

Kimmel did not criticize ABC or Disney directly but joked that one condition of his return was reading instructions for renewing Disney+ subscriptions.

Shortly before the episode aired, President Trump blasted the decision to reinstate Kimmel. “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, accusing the network of backing “positive Democrat garbage.”

ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week following the late-night host’s comment about Kirk, which sparked strong backlash. Kimmel admitted he disagreed with the decision but said talks with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden led to his return. “They welcomed me back on the air, and I thank them for that,” he said.