Kimmel Back on Air After ABC Suspension Over Charlie Kirk Remarks, Audience Gives Standing Ovation

Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television on Tuesday after a week-long suspension of his ABC talk show tied to remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He walked onto the stage to a standing ovation, then addressed the controversy with a restrained, apology-focused tone as the audience settled in for the show.

Kimmel indicated that his intention was not to mock the murder or to blame any specific group for the actions of a deeply disturbed individual. He said the remarks were ill-timed or unclear and emphasized that there is nothing funny about violence. He also criticized ABC affiliates for pulling the program from the air, describing the move as illegal and un-American.

Disney, in a statement, confirmed that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would return on Tuesday after production had been suspended the previous Wednesday to avoid inflaming a tense national moment. The company said it had spent days in conversations with Kimmel and, following those discussions, decided to bring the show back on the scheduled date. At the same time, ABC’s affiliate groups Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group refused to broadcast the program in certain markets, with Sinclair announcing it would pre-empt the show and replace it with news programming while discussions with ABC continued.

Nexstar, which operates the largest bloc of ABC affiliates, also pressed the network to address the show’s content, according to reports that cited Variety. The notes described aggressive pushback from Nexstar over the recent remarks and their potential impact on local air schedules. Industry observers also noted that FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr had hinted at the possibility of a broader inquiry into the remarks, saying there were avenues for action if the behavior crossed regulatory lines.

The dispute drew praise and criticism across the political spectrum. Former President Donald Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, while a number of celebrities signed a public letter calling the suspension a dark moment for freedom of speech. In the media-saturated week before the return, Kimmel’s team and supporters publicly argued that the course of events underscored the tension between network control, local autonomy and the evolving standards for political discourse on late-night television.

During the Sept. 15 episode, Kimmel addressed the shooting’s aftermath and the way it had been framed in political discourse, saying that some discussions had descended into harmful characterizations. He also used social media to extend condolences to Kirk’s wife and children while reframing the moment as an occasion to focus on the human cost of gun violence. In subsequent remarks on the air, he reiterated that the aim was to foster empathy rather than polarization.

The corporate standoff extended to Sinclair, which issued a list of conditions for Kimmel’s return. The group said it would not lift the suspension until formal discussions with ABC addressed the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability. It also called for a direct apology to the Kirk family and for a meaningful donation to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA. The network scheduled a special remembrance of Charlie Kirk for Sept. 19, to air during Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s timeslot.

As the dust settled, the question remained whether affiliate markets would embrace the host’s return. ABC indicated its intention to resume production, while affiliate groups weighed their own editorial and programming standards in the wake of the incident. Representatives for Kimmel did not respond to requests for comment, leaving the immediate outlook for the show’s next episodes contingent on ongoing negotiations between ABC and its affiliates.

https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/112013600.png?w=1024