Jimmy Kimmel says he wasn’t trying to joke about Charlie Kirk’s death as Trump blasts host
The US president threatened to ‘test ABC’ for reinstating Kimmel’s show after a nearly week-long suspension
Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television on Tuesday after a nearly week-long suspension and nearly broke down in tears, saying he was not trying to joke about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as US President Donald Trump slammed the host.
“I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel added: “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.” He said he understood his remarks last week to some “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both”.
Kimmel criticised the ABC affiliates who took his show off the air. “That’s not legal. That’s not American. It’s unAmerican.”
He thanked the people who supported him, and even people who do not like him who stood up for his right to speak, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz. “It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did and they deserve credit for it.”
ABC suspended Kimmel’s show on September 17 over comments he made about the assassination of Kirk.