Jimmy Kimmel Wastes No Time on Trump, Salutes OutKick's Clay Travis in Big Monologue Following Suspension

Jimmy Kimmel returned Tuesday night from what he framed as late-night martyrdom, trying to rally America against Donald Trump in his first monologue since being yanked off the air less than a week ago.

Kimmel’s moment was big, but the man himself had not changed.

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!  Jimmy Kimmel returns after indefinite ban. (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)

The late-night host was suspended after controversial remarks about the assassination of Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk. 

Kimmel Returns After Brief Suspension; Gives An Unexpected Shout-Out

The move sparked outrage from Hollywood and Democrats, who decried it as an attack on free speech.

Kimmel leaned into the drama with a 17-minute monologue heavy on Republican attacks and emotional pauses. 

At one point, he even thanked OutKick's own Clay Travis.

Main Points

• Got emotional multiple times.
• Kimmel thanked supporters across the aisle, namely Clay: "People who I never would have imagined, like Ben Shapiro, Candice Owens, Mitch McConnell… even my old pal Ted Cruz, who… said something very beautiful on my behalf."
• Addressed Charlie Kirk’s death directly: "It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man."
• Accused Trump of trying to cancel him: "Instead, he forced millions of people to watch this show. That backfired bigly."
• Mocked FCC chairman Brendan Carr as "the most embarrassing Carr Republicans have embraced since this one," showing a Cybertruck with an American flag.
• Mocked Trump for wanting late-night hosts fired: "They want to pick and choose what the news is … Walter Cronkite must be spinning in his grave right now."

Watch the full monologue here:

"I'm happy to be here tonight with you," Kimmel told a crowd that showered him with ovations.

The show — averaging barely over a million viewers amid disputed ratings spins — returned Tuesday to a big audience, though not all ABC affiliates carried it. His contract with the network runs through 2026.

Trump Becomes Central Target For Kimmel's Monologue

"I don't know who's had a weirder 48 hours; me or the CEO of Tylenol," Kimmel joked.

He went on to thank fellow hosts Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon, along with unlikely political allies.

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)

"This show is not important," Kimmel added. "What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this."

RELATED: Don't Expect Jimmy Kimmel To Apologize Or Correct Lie About Charlie Kirk Upon Return To ABC

On Kirk’s death, Kimmel clarified: "You understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man."

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!  "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)

Still, he turned his return into an attack on Trump. 

"[Trump] did his best to cancel me; instead, he forced millions of people to watch this show. That backfired bigly," Kimmel said, before quipping, "He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now."

Kimmel's Ban Was Always About Spreading Misinformation On Charlie Kirk 

Kimmel also targeted FCC chairman Brendan Carr, mocking him as "the most embarrassing Carr Republicans have embraced since this one," while showing a Cybertruck with an American flag. They even brought poor old Robert De Niro to play Carr in a skit mocking the chairman.

The host accused Trump of wanting late-night hosts fired, drawing a rave response, on cue, from his audience. 

"They want to pick and choose what the news is … it's nuts we're not paying more attention to this. Walter Cronkite must be spinning in his grave right now."

Trump, meanwhile, ripped into Kimmel’s comeback on Truth Social: "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… Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings."

ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 17, two days after his controversial monologue. Executives at Sinclair and Nexstar refused to air the show, citing his remarks about Kirk’s assassin. 

Disney later said the suspension was meant to avoid "inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country."

For now, Kimmel’s back — suspended, reinstated, and still crying on cue.

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