Jimmy Kimmel Returns to TV, Joking About One Condition From Disney

Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television Tuesday night, delivering his first show back since Disney paused the program last week amid controversy over comments he made about the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination. On air, Kimmel framed the comeback around a single, tongue-in-cheek condition that he said was attached to his return.

“A lot of people have been asking me if there are conditions for my return to the air, and there is one,” he said on Tuesday, his first night back after the company put his show on hiatus. He then delivered the punchline that fired up social media: “To reactivate your Disney+ and Hulu account, open the Disney+ app on your smart TV or TV-connected device.”

After the joke, Kimmel shifted to a more serious tone, saying he’s been “fortunate” to do what he’s wanted on the air for 23 years, even when it’s unsettled some in the corporate ranks. “Every night, they’ve defended my right to poke fun at our leaders and to advocate for subjects that I think are important by allowing me to use their platform. And I am very grateful for that,” he said. “With that said, I was not happy when they pulled me off the air on Wednesday.” The remarks reflected a tense but private set of conversations with Disney in the days leading up to his return, he added.

Kimmel noted that the discussions with Disney executives had been constructive but that he understood the risk the company took in bringing him back. “This is a giant company. We have short attention spans and I am a tiny part of the Disney corporation,” he said, praising Disney for welcoming him back and acknowledging the potential fallout. “They welcomed me back on the air and I thank them for that because I know that unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk.”

The timing of his return came amid continued national attention to the dispute, with former President Donald Trump reacting publicly to the episode after taping. Kimmel said Trump attacked him and threatened legal action against Disney, arguing that the company should bear the consequences of dissent. “Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel quoted, noting the president’s stance on the matter. He urged viewers to respond with vocal support for those targeted next, saying, “We have to speak out against this because he’s not stopping.”

Outside the immediate dispute, the episode underscored ongoing tensions at the crossroads of comedy, corporate governance and political discourse. Kimmel’s return—after years in which his monologues routinely skewed presidents and policy—highlights how much influence a parent company’s risk calculus can have on late-night satire. The host has long built a career on pushing boundaries while relying on a platform provided by a large media conglomerate, and Tuesday night’s remarks framed his comeback as a reaffirmation of that dynamic.

In explaining the experience on air, Kimmel emphasized gratitude toward Disney for the chance to continue his work. He framed the hiatus as an exceptional moment rather than a permanent shift in his approach, and he signaled that he would continue to address subjects he deems important, even as he acknowledged the company’s right to set boundaries. The episode also reflected a broader media climate in which executives navigate swift political reactions from audiences and public figures alike, balancing corporate interests with audience expectations for candor and critique.

As the show moved beyond the moment, Kimmel’s remarks echoed a familiar theme for the host: a commitment to commentary that blends humor with social and political observation, delivered within the parameters of a network-backed platform. Tuesday’s return did not erase the controversy that sparked the hiatus, but it did reassert the cadence of his long-running program and its role in a culture where debates over speech, platform responsibility and accountability are increasingly heated.