Jimmy Kimmel came back to late night last night with what was easily one of the most-watched monologues in recent memory, and let’s just say he didn’t waste the moment.
Kimmel opened by thanking fans and even some unlikely allies, like Senator Ted Cruz, who defended his right to free speech during his suspension. But the jokes took a backseat when Kimmel got emotional, clarifying that he never intended to, in his words, “make light of the murder of a young man.” He admitted he understood why some found his earlier remarks “ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
His most heartfelt moment came when he praised Erika Kirk for forgiving her husband Charlie’s killer. With his voice cracking, Kimmel said, “That is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Kimmel monologue without some political criticism. He accused President Trump and the FCC of trying to silence him, calling it “un-American and so dangerous.” Kimmel even joked that Trump’s attempt to “cancel” him only boosted his ratings: “Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this.”
Trump blasted Kimmel for filling ABC’s airwaves with “99% positive Democrat garbage” and suggested ABC might end up paying him millions, as they allegedly did before: “Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
Better get your popcorn. Seems like the drama is only beginning.