Share
Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night show on Tuesday, with a mix of regret and defiance, following backlash over remarks about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s death.
While he acknowledged that his comments may have been “ill-timed or unclear,” Kimmel stopped short of issuing a direct apology, saying he understood why some were upset and insisting he never intended to make light of the murder or blame any group.
The controversy stemmed from a segment in which Kimmel linked the suspect in Kirk’s shooting to the “MAGA gang” and compared Donald Trump’s reaction to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.” During his comeback, Kimmel grew emotional as he reaffirmed his sympathy for Kirk’s family, noting he had expressed condolences before the uproar began.
At the same time, Kimmel vowed not to let critics, especially Trump, silence him.
He argued that the real issue was free speech, declaring, “A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like, is anti American.”
