Large names in Hollywood, media, and politics welcomed Jimmy Kimmel again onstage Tuesday night time.
The host of “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” delivered an emotional monologue on his first night time again on air after ABC suspended his present final week over feedback he made concerning the capturing of Charlie Kirk.
The episode drew 6.26 million viewers regardless of vital preemptions throughout 23% of US tv households, ABC mentioned on Wednesday, citing information from Nielsen.
“I additionally wish to thank all of you. You supported our present, cared sufficient to do one thing about it, to make your voices heard in order that mine might be heard. I am going to always remember it,” Kimmel mentioned to loud applause.
In his monologue, he slammed FCC Chair Brendan Carr and President Donald Trump for clamping down on free speech, and teared up whereas saying he by no means supposed to make gentle of Kirk’s capturing.
His return was met with enthusiasm from celebrities and politicians, and sourness from some.
Donald Trump
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About an hour earlier than Kimmel’s present went reside, Trump wrote in a Reality Social put up, “I can not imagine ABC Faux Information gave Jimmy Kimmel his job again.”
“The White Home was informed by ABC that his Present was cancelled!” he wrote. “One thing occurred between then and now as a result of his viewers is GONE, and his ‘expertise’ was by no means there.”
He then floated the thought of launching a lawsuit towards ABC for its determination to run the present once more.
Mark Cuban
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“Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban mentioned on Wednesday that it could be a strategic mistake for Sinclair and Nexstar to not air Kimmel’s present on their ABC affiliate stations.
“This would possibly backfire in the long term,” Cuban wrote on X.
Cuban mentioned native broadcasters like Sinclair are affiliated with giant networks like ABC, which “have been placing their greatest scripted reveals on their streamers.”
“If they’re afraid to take a position as a lot as they beforehand had, in new content material for broadcast, past sports activities, information and actuality, as a result of the biggest group of stations won’t present them, the economics of the reveals change fully,” Cuban wrote in his X put up.
Ben Stiller
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Ben Stiller’s response to Kimmel’s monologue was quick and candy.
“What an excellent monologue from Jimmy Kimmel,” the Zoolander actor wrote in an X put up on Tuesday night time.
On September 17, shortly after Kimmel’s suspension announcement, Stiller wrote on X, “This is not proper.”
Don Lemon
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TV journalist Don Lemon posted a video on Threads shortly after the monologue, commending Kimmel on doing a “improbable” job and hitting the “proper tone.”
“All these individuals who had been cheering for him to be fired or suspended, disgrace on you,” he mentioned. “And all the oldsters like Donald Trump, Brendan Carr, Nexstar, Sinclair, you guys must be ashamed of yourselves, you do not imagine within the First Modification, you do not imagine in freedom of speech, in any respect.”
Lemon added, “Habits like that’s not solely unpatriotic, it’s unchristianlike, ungodlike, a lot for calling your self Christian and a patriot, when you do not even imagine within the Structure.”
Stephen King
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Stephen King made a put up on Bluesky.
“I am glad Jimmy Kimmel is again,” the writer, identified for his horror novels, wrote.
Turning Level spokesperson Andrew Kolvet
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Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Level USA, the conservative group based by Charlie Kirk, mentioned Kimmel’s feedback on Kirk had been “not adequate.”
Kolvet mentioned Kimmel ought to have apologized to the Kirk household “for mendacity.”
After Disney introduced the reversal of its determination to drag the present, Kolvet wrote on X that it was a mistake, and he hoped broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair wouldn’t make the identical selection.
Stephen Colbert
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Stephen Colbert mentioned in a Tuesday episode of “The Late Present” that he was glad Kimmel was again.
“I will say due to everyone in right here and to everyone watching from dwelling, who I believe would possibly simply be my spouse, Evie, as a result of everyone else might be watching ABC,” he mentioned.
“As a result of tonight, Jimmy Kimmel returned to the airwaves,” he added, to loud cheers from the viewers.
“To know him effectively is to admire him immensely, even when he takes the entire summer season off,” he mentioned.
After Disney introduced that the present would run once more, Colbert mentioned he was as soon as once more the “solely martyr in late night time,” referencing how CBS is about to cease airing his present from Might 2026.
Amy Klobuchar
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Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota welcomed Kimmel again through a put up on Bluesky.
She posted two quotes from Kimmel’s monologue. Kimmel mentioned Donald Trump accused him of getting no expertise or scores, including, “I do tonight.”
“Welcome again Jimmy Kimmel!” Klobuchar wrote within the put up on Tuesday night time.
Gavin Newsom
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In an X put up, California Gov. Gavin Newsom quoted Kimmel’s monologue, through which he mentioned, “This present is just not essential. What’s essential is that we get to reside in a rustic that enables us to have a present like this.”
Newsom added the phrase “precisely” after Kimmel’s quote.
He had beforehand expressed help for Kimmel. After Disney introduced its determination had been reversed, he wrote on X, “Thanks to everybody however @BrendanCarrFCC. It is a win free of charge speech in all places.”
Elizabeth Warren
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In an X put up, Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized Nexstar and Sinclair for not airing Kimmel’s present on their associates.
She mentioned the broadcasters’ ties to pending enterprise offers below the Trump administration raised “potential corruption” issues.
She urged transparency from the businesses, warning that many Individuals can be unable to observe Kimmel’s return.
“I am urgent for solutions on potential corruption,” she added.
Sarah McLachlan
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Singer Sarah McLachlan carried out on Kimmel’s first night time again and celebrated the looks on Instagram.
“So comfortable to have the ability to carry out tonight on @JimmyKimmelLive! XoS #freespeech,” she wrote alongside a photograph with the host.
