Jimmy Kimmel returns to ABC with emotional apology for ‘making light’ of Charlie Kirk murder: Live updates

Goodfellas actor Robert De Niro made a surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show Tuesday night in a skit mocking FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

Last week, ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel’s show shortly after Carr pressured broadcasters to “take action” against the comedian for comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Carr told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way” — a statement Republican Senator Ted Cruz said was “ right out of Goodfellas.”

“ Pardon me for saying so, and maybe you’re the wrong guy to talk to, but it seems like the FCC is using mob tactics to suppress free speech,” Kimmel told De Niro.

Niro responded: “ What the f*** did you say to me?”

Jimmy Kimmel became audibly emotional as he returned to air Tuesday night, assuring his audience that it was “never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”

The late-night talk-show host was greeted by two lengthy standing ovations as he kicked off his show, and thanked his fans, friends and even others on the other side of the political aisle.

“If you like me, like me, if you don’t, you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind,” he said, appearing to break down as he added: “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.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump threatened to “test ABC” after the broadcaster allowed Kimmel to return. “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump fumed on Truth Social prior to the show’s airing. “The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!”

Read more from Mike Bedigan:

Jimmel Kimmel opened his late-night show to a standing ovation Tuesday night.

The audience chanted, “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy” as they clapped for the comedian who returned to ABC after having his show suspended last week.

“I’m happy to be here tonight,” Kimmel said.

Nexstar and Sinclair, two major television station owners, have announced they will continue not to air Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, despite ABC bringing the program back.

Instead, the ABC-affiliated stations under Nexstar and Sinclair will broadcast local news programming, per CNN.

CNN Media Analyst Brian Stelter has said Jimmy Kimmel should make his opening monologue on tonight’s show “less about Jimmy Kimmel and more about the public.”

 “If I were Jimmy Kimmel, if I were his writers, I would think about what to say to the viewers to make this less about Jimmy Kimmel and more about the public,” he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Tuesday night.

Stelter continued: “What’s important about what’s happened in last week and the uproar across the country, the groundswell of attention, all of the criticism of ABC’s move, all of the boycott talks, all of it. What’s important is about average Americans having free speech rights, average Americans not feeling chilled or intimidated during this period in American history.”

There was a massive public outcry after ABC suspended Kimmel’s show last week following comments the comedian made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Donald Trump threatened to “test ABC” after the broadcaster allowed Jimmy Kimmel to return to air, just less than a week after his late-night show was suspended indefinitely.

“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump fumed on Truth Social Tuesday night. “The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!”

Contrary to the president’s claim, Jimmy Kimmel, Live! was never officially cancelled by ABC or Disney executives. The brief suspension came following remarks made by Kimmel about the death of Charlie Kirk during his monologue last Monday.

The network announced yesterday that the show would be returning at its normal scheduled time Tuesday.

Read more from Mike Bedigan:

Jimmy Kimmel’s fans shared their excitement for the late-night show’s return on Tuesday.

The show’s Instagram account posted a photo of Kimmel and comedian Guillermo Rodriguez and captioned it, “We are back full of love.”

Fans flocked to the comment section to join the love fest.

“THIS is what it’s all about. Somewhere along the way, America lost the plot. Cheers to bringing us back together — somehow,” Emmy-winning producer Tony Morrison commented.

Cookbook author Alfredo Garcia said, “Cannot wait for tonight’s episode!!!!!”

“Let’s make this the most watched show of all time — including Superbowls!” one fan wrote.

President Donald Trump has threatened ABC as Jimmy Kimmel returns to late-night television.

“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday night. “He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.”

The president continued: “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars.”

Trump was referring to a settlement ABC News agreed to in a defamation lawsuit over comments anchor George Stephanopoulos made on air about writer E. Jean Carroll’s own two lawsuits against the president.

Read Trump’s full Truth Social post:

“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his “talent” was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”

More Americans disapproved than approved of Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air, according to a recent The Economist/YouGov poll.

A total of 48 percent of Americans strongly or somewhat disapproved of ABC’s decision to suspend the comedian’s late-night show, while 36 percent strongly or somewhat approved.

Kimmel’s show will return to ABC at 11:35 p.m. ET tonight.