Jimmy Kimmel stepped back onto the late-night stage on September 23, 2025. His return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! came after a week-long suspension that stirred up a big public debate about free speech. It was a rollercoaster ride for the popular host, and the whole world was watching.
ABC pulled Kimmel off the air "indefinitely" on September 17. This happened after he commented on the suspect involved in the shooting death of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk. The decision was controversial. Two major broadcast groups, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, simply refused to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their local channels. ABC felt it had its hands tied.
But Hollywood wasn’t having it. Over 400 famous faces, including stars like Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Meryl Streep, and Selena Gomez, signed an open letter. The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, organized this demand. They insisted Kimmel be put back on TV. ABC quickly changed its mind and confirmed his show would return on September 23.
Despite Nexstar and Sinclair still blocking the show in some areas, Kimmel’s return was huge. His monologue broke a YouTube record, grabbing 14 million views in just 15 hours. The episode also saw its usual audience numbers on ABC triple. Clearly, people wanted to hear what he had to say.
What exactly led to this wild week? Let’s take a look at Kimmel’s words as the drama unfolded.
September 15, 2025: The Spark Ignites
The trouble started when Kimmel spoke about the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk was just 31 when he died in a Utah hospital. He had been shot during a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10. Kimmel’s first reaction was a plea for politicians to stop pointing fingers.
“Instead of pointing fingers, can we even for one day accept that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human being?” he asked on Instagram on September 10. “On behalf of my family, we send our love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents, and innocent victims of senseless gun violence.”
During his monologue on September 15, Kimmel then talked about the arrest of Tyler James Robinson, 22. Robinson was linked to Kirk’s shooting. (Robinson has not yet entered a plea. He faces charges of aggravated murder and using a firearm, plus smaller charges like obstructing justice. He remains in Utah County Jail without bail until at least September 29.)
Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images
“We hit new lows over the weekend with the MAGA band desperately trying to characterize this young man who murdered Charlie Kirk as not one of them, and doing everything they can to gain political advantage,” Kimmel told his audience.
His comments quickly angered many. Prominent conservatives demanded Kimmel be fired. Sinclair and Nexstar announced they would stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! ABC followed their lead on September 17, formally suspending the comedian.
September 23, 2025: An Emotional Return
Kimmel stayed completely silent during his suspension. He broke that silence only when ABC confirmed his return. Hours before his comeback, Kimmel shared a photo on Instagram. It showed him with television producer Norman Lear, with the simple caption: “Missing this guy today.” Lear, who passed away in December 2023 at 101, was a strong voice for free speech. He famously tackled tough topics like racism and abortion on his classic 1970s shows, All in the Family and Maude.
Kimmel used a 28-minute opening monologue that night to talk about the public reaction to his temporary removal. “I’ve received messages from many people in the last six days. I’ve received messages from everyone in the last six days,” he shared. “Everyone I’ve ever met has reached out ten or eleven times. Characters from my past, the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle — where, by the way, we’re not on the air tonight. His name is Larry.”
He gave a heartfelt thank you to his viewers. “You supported our show and cared enough to do something to make your voices heard so mine could be heard too, and I’ll never forget it,” he said. Kimmel even admitted he “never imagined” he’d stand with conservatives like Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens, who had spoken out against his suspension. “It takes courage to speak out against this administration, and they did; they deserve recognition and thanks,” he explained. “For telling their followers that our government cannot control what we say or don’t say on television.”
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host fought back tears as he clarified his original comments from September 15. Those remarks had started the whole controversy. “I’ve heard a lot about what I need to do and say tonight, and the truth is, I don’t think what I say will make much of a difference,” he observed. “If you like me, you like me; if not, I have no illusions of changing anyone’s mind. But I do want to make something clear because it’s important to me as a human being: I never intended to downplay the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
He highlighted a “very beautiful moment” from Kirk’s tribute. The event took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21. There, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk (born Frantzve), publicly forgave her husband’s killer. “There was a moment over the weekend, a very beautiful moment, I don’t know if you saw it… Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him,” Kimmel said. “That is an example we should follow.”
September 24, 2025: Trading Jabs with the President
After Kimmel’s big return, President Donald Trump quickly spoke out. He attacked ABC for reversing the host’s suspension. On his Truth Social account, he threatened to “test ABC” with a lawsuit, claiming political bias. He also predicted Kimmel would “rot in his bad ratings.”
Kimmel, clearly delighted by the news that his return had tripled Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s usual audience, responded with humor. He joked about hearing from “a very special friend moments after we taped the show.” Then, he played Trump’s comments. “Can’t believe they gave me my job back? I can’t believe we gave you yours back,” Kimmel quipped.
Later in his monologue, Kimmel poked fun at Trump’s approval ratings. This came after the president dismissed Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s numbers on ABC.
Jimmy Kimmel on September 23, 2025. Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images
“He does know bad ratings,” Kimmel said about Trump. “He has some of the worst approval numbers any president has ever had. From all of us, welcome to the bad ratings club, Mr. President.”
Kimmel then offered a serious explanation to those who felt he was “too hard” on President Trump and his allies. “I want to explain: I talk about Trump more than anyone because he’s a bully. I don’t like bullies,” he firmly stated. “Donald Trump is like an 80s movie bully who takes your lunch money. And if you give it to him once, he’ll do it again. Two things he loves: lunch and money.”
September 25, 2025: Puppies and More Protests
The next night, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus joined Kimmel as a guest. She brought along Ethel, her family’s three-week-old puppy. The former Veep star joked that Ethel was “a big fan of the First Amendment” during her segment. “I think this week has been so crazy, being with a puppy might do you good,” she teased. Kimmel added, “Nowadays a lot of dogs love free speech!”
Earlier in the show, Kimmel made a request to the studio audience. They had greeted him with chants of “Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy!” as he came out. “Can we stop doing that every night?” Kimmel asked. “I appreciate it, but I also hate it. Really!”
Kimmel also mentioned that he was still “broadcasting to about 75 percent of the country.” This was due to the ongoing boycotts by Sinclair and Nexstar. “On Monday, we’ll be in Brooklyn for a week of great shows from the Brooklyn Academy of Music,” he announced. He then added a playful comment, “Now, what we have to do is keep moving so the FCC can’t catch us.” It seems even after the suspension, Jimmy Kimmel’s week of unexpected drama and defiant humor was far from over.