Ethan Hawke crashes Jimmy Kimmel's return monologue as ACLU letter moment unfolds

Ethan Hawke crashed Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue on Wednesday, interrupting the late-night host’s return to air after a week-long suspension tied to controversial comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel, 57, resumed Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a second episode with Hawke, Lisa Ann Walter and musical guest YUNGBLUD, following a period in which Disney suspended the show while the network reviewed the remarks.

In a moment designed to underscore the controversy’s backdrop, Kimmel thanked more than 400 entertainers, actors, writers, directors and producers who signed a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union in support of the show. A crew member then handed Kimmel the letter, which carried signatures including Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt, to confirm the show’s allied voices.

Hawke, 54, then slipped onto the stage and told Kimmel in person that it was “an honor to sign this letter.” Kimmel sought Hawke’s name on the document and realized Hawke hadn’t signed it at all, prompting a playful exchange. Hawke insisted he would have signed it but joked he didn’t want to bet on a “three legged horse with broken ankles.” Kimmel responded that Hawke would not be held to account yet, adding that he’d let the audience decide whether he should be allowed back on the show. Hawke then grabbed a nearby pen and quickly signed beneath Tom Hanks’ name as Kimmel turned away, prompting a light-hearted interlude over whether the signature was legitimate.

The moment shifted into a broader discussion as Hawke and Kimmel pivoted to talk about Hawke’s career and auditioning for the late Robert Redford. The monologue that followed tackled a range of topics, including a fierce broadside at former President Donald Trump. The host shared humorous text messages from colleagues’ friends and family reacting to the news that the show had been taken off air, a sequence Kimmel used to illustrate the surreal pressures of late-night life amid headlines.

Among the texts recounted in the opening, one person asked, “Hey sweetie... is it Kimmel or Fallon that you currently work for?” while another joked, “I can’t believe this! Hopefully they just change hosts and keep the show.” A text from a concerned family member of a worker asked if the cancellation would be long term, and another noted, “CNN says you’re cancelled indefinitely.” The messages were presented as a form of backstage texture, illustrating the anxieties staffers faced as the news cycle swirled around the suspension.

Kimmel also used the show’s return to reflect on the week’s broader headlines and to address the support he received from fellow talk-show hosts, fans and conservatives who defended him. He thanked his friends, including Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who had sent an ice-cream truck to the studio as a show of support for staffers after the suspension. The anecdote was delivered with his typical mix of warmth and self-deprecating humor, but the sense of relief at resuming the program was palpable.

The audience responded in kind: ABC's ratings for the return episode surged, with the Monday premiere drawing about 6.26 million viewers—three times the typical nightly average for the program, according to ABC. The network noted that the live audience did not reflect streaming viewership, but the overall episode remained a high-water mark, underscored by more than 25 million views of Kimmel’s emotional monologue on social media.

The essence of the controversy remains part of the conversation surrounding the return. Kimmel had previously suggested that the shooter connected to the Charlie Kirk case appeared aligned with the political right, a claim he later acknowledged could be interpreted as misjudged in its framing. In his first episode back, he expressed remorse for the moment and described the situation as deeply painful for many viewers. He also noted that he still believed in offering compassion to those affected by the tragedy, including Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who forgave the shooter at her husband’s funeral—a moment Kimmel described as an act of grace that someone should emulate.

The return also occurred amid a broader corporate context. ABC parent Disney had suspended Kimmel’s show to avoid inflaming a charged national moment; after discussions and thoughtful conversations with the host, ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would resume on Tuesday. The decision to bring the show back came alongside a widely publicized letter from more than 400 celebrities urging defense of free expression, with supporters ranging from film icons to music artists. The letter, circulated by the ACLU, included signatures from well-known names across entertainment and beyond, underscoring the ongoing debate about satire, responsibility, and the press in a highly polarized environment.

Despite the on-air spectacle and the star-powered moment, some stations did not air the show in full. Sinclair and Nexstar stations, which account for a portion of ABC’s affiliates, opted not to broadcast the program, a reminder that the late-night landscape remains unsettled in the wake of the controversy.

In the end, the night offered a vivid snapshot of the current era of entertainment: a veteran host’s return, a high-profile interruption by a guest, a wave of public support from industry peers, and a broader national conversation about free expression, accountability, and the role of talk shows in a fractured media ecosystem.