Kimmel returns to late night with an emotional monologue but no apologies following suspension

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK AP Jimmy Kimmel offered no apologies in his return to late-night television and in an emotional monologue where he appeared close to tears reported he was not trying to joke about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk He also paid tribute to Kirk s widow Related Articles Black pastors say Charlie Kirk is not a martyr while decrying racism and political violence Wall Street drifts as it hits a lull following its big rally people shot at a Dallas ICE facility and the shooter is dead official says Pope names successor for embattled New Orleans archbishop after sex abuse settlement A trio of space weather satellites blast off together to examination the sun s violent side Nearly million people had watched Kimmel s first show back from a nearly one-week suspension on YouTube by midmorning Wednesday Typically he gets about million viewers each night on television Ratings were due to be circulated later in the day In his first residents comments following the suspension Kimmel did not hesitate to joke about his frequent foil President Donald Trump and credited him for what is expected to be a ratings bonanza He tried Kimmel noted He did his best to cancel me 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 now Kimmel disclosed It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man I don t think there s anything funny about it He stated Kirk s widow Erika performed a selfless act of grace in publicly forgiving her husband s killer That is an example we should follow he disclosed Jimmy Kimmel Live audience members are directed to the back entrance of the show s studio for a taping on Tuesday Sept in Los Angeles AP Photo Chris Pizzello A Jimmy Kimmel Live crew member brings in a banner sporting his likeness before a taping of the show at the show s studio on Hollywood Blvd on Tuesday Sept in Los Angeles AP Photo Chris Pizzello This image published by Disney shows guest Glen Powell left and host Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles on Tuesday Sept Randy Holmes Disney via AP Oscar Villanueva holds a sign outside El Capitan Entertainment Centre where the late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live is staged Thursday Sept in Los Angeles AP Photo Jae C Hong Show Caption of Jimmy Kimmel Live audience members are directed to the back entrance of the show s studio for a taping on Tuesday Sept in Los Angeles AP Photo Chris Pizzello Expand He added I don t think what I m going to say is going to make much of a difference If you like me you like me If you don t you don t I have no illusions about changing anyone s mind Andrew Kolvet a spokesperson for Turning Point USA the organization Kirk founded that is now headed by his widow posted on X that Kimmel s monologue was not good enough and that he needed to apologize Yes Jimmy got emotional Kolvet wrote So what He s emotional for himself because he almost torched his entire career Meanwhile comic Ben Stiller posted that it was a brilliant monologue The event triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and Trump s ability to police the words of journalists commentators and even comics In a social media post the president criticized ABC for bringing Kimmel back and threatened a lawsuit Kimmel took the stage to a long standing ovation and chants of Jimmy Jimmy One audience member Walter Bates reported after the taping that Kimmel s discussion of Kirk s widow was a very moving moment that caused both him and his wife to get very emotional Associated Press Writer Liam McEwan in Los Angeles contributed to this account