Less than a week after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from his late-night show over comments made about Charlie Kirk’s murder, he returned to TV and reflected on the controversy.
Jimmy Kimmel is getting the last word.
Less than a week after Jimmy Kimmel Live!Charlie Kirk’s murder, Kimmel returned to the air and got emotional while sharing his thoughts on the controversy, emphasizing that he never intended to insinuate that he condoned violence.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, choking back tears. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
And Kimmel went on to explain that it was also not his intention to “blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”
“That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make,” he said. “But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear—or maybe both—and for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, it was a good chance I’d feel the same way.”
However, the late-night host said he “did not agree” with ABC’s decision to pull him off the air.
“I told them that, and we had many conversations,” Jimmy recalled, adding that they ultimately changed their minds. “We have short attention spans, and I am a tiny part of the Disney Corporation. They welcomed me back on the air, and I thank them for that.”
And Kimmel also shared how grateful he was for the support he received from people all over the world during his six-day suspension.
“I’ve heard from all the people over in the world over the last six days, everyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times,” he continued. “I also want to thank all of you who supported our show, cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard, so that mine could be heard. I will never forget it.”
Kimmel added, “Maybe most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway.”
ABC and its parent company Disney confirmed Sept. 22 that Kimmel’s show, which was pulled off the air Sept. 17, would resume on Sept. 23 while detailing the “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel during his absence.
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” the network said in a Sept. 22 statement obtained by NBC News. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
Amid his suspension, the 57-year-old—who has hosted his late-night series for over 20 years—received a rallying of support from friends and acquaintances in the entertainment industry, including from Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez and over 300 others who signed a petition of support to reinstate his show.
“The silencing of Jimmy Kimmel and jawboning of media outlets through lawsuits and threats to their licenses evoke dark memories of the 1950s,” the statement read, per The Hollywood Reporter. “We must remember, however, that Senator McCarthy was ultimately disgraced and neutralized once Americans mobilized and stood up to him. We must do the same today because together, our voices are louder and together, we will fight to be heard.”
Tyler Robinson, FCC Chair Brendan Carr criticized the comedian and warned ABC and its stations that “we can do this the easy or the hard way,” which many interpreted as a threat to pull network affiliate licensess and sparked a chain of events that led to Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s sudden hiatus. (Carr later denied that his comments were meant to be a threat in “any way shape or form.”)
Amid Kimmel’s suspension, his fellow late night hosts Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Jimmy Fallon all made a point to speak out against his suspension on their own shows.
“I don’t know what’s going on, and no one does,” the latter Tonight Show
(E! News, NBC News and The Tonight Show are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)
And now that Kimmel has made his official return, keep reading for more TV shows hitting your screen this fall…
Tulsa King (Paramount+) – Sept. 21
In season three, as Dwight’s empire expands, so do his enemies – and the risks to his crew. Now, he faces his most dangerous adversaries in Tulsa yet: the Dunmires, a powerful old-money family that doesn’t play by old-world rules, forcing Dwight to fight for everything he’s built and protect his family.
The Price Is Right (CBS) – Sept. 22
Host Drew Carey and announcer George Gray will once again invite contestants to “come on down!” for another exciting year of big prizes and classic fun.
Let’s Make a Deal (CBS) – Sept. 22
Season 17 raises the stakes with the return of fan-favorite themes “Mega Money Mondays,” “Worldwide Wednesdays” and “Fabulous Car Fridays,” offering lucky dealers more chances than ever to win big.
The Voice (NBC) – Sept. 22
Michael Buble, Reba McEntire, Snoop Dogg and Niall Horan return to coach season 28.
Brialliant Minds (NBC) – Sept. 22
The medical drama returns for season two.
Seeking Sister Wife (TLC) – Sept. 22
Seeking Sister Wife returns this September spotlighting the evolving dynamics of plural marriage through fresh stories and familiar faces. Featuring two returning families and three new couples, this season dives deep into the emotional highs and lows of navigating polygamous relationships, as each household explores the challenges and rewards of finding a potential new sister wife. As each couple leans into the power of partnership and possibility, their pursuit of love and family unfolds in unexpected ways.
America’s Got Talent (NBC) – Sept. 23
The reality competition series is back for season 21.
The Lowdown (FX) – Sept. 23
The Lowdown follows the gritty exploits of citizen journalist “Lee Raybon” (Ethan Hawke), a self-proclaimed Tulsa “truthstorian” whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble.
Doc (Fox) – Sept. 23
The second season of Doc follows powerhouse physician Dr. Amy Larsen (Molly Parker) as she continues to rebuild her life after a car crash erased eight years of her memory. No longer Chief of Internal Medicine at Westside Hospital, Amy must restart her medical journey as an Intern in the hopes of becoming the doctor she once was. She’ll confront hard truths about her missing years, work to repair fractured relationships and seek to reconcile the person she used to be with the one everyone else has come to know. Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Felicity Huffman joins the drama this season in the series regular role of Dr. Joan Ridley, Amy’s med school professor and early mentor – and now the new Chief of Internal Medicine at Westside Hospital. Will Joan’s arrival back in Amy’s life both professionally and personally help or hinder Amy’s recovery?
Murder in a Small Town (Fox) – Sept. 23
In the second season, Karl’s jurisdiction expands and he will have to contend with an increased caseload and limited resources, investigating cases like a body found at a local wedding between members of two feuding families; a double kidnapping that may mask an even bigger crime; a pop star who retreated to Gibsons for a quiet vacation only to be followed by a dangerous stalker; and many more.
Survivor (CBS) – Sept. 24
Survivor season 49 continues to prove both the ultimate test of physical and mental will, as well as the adventure of a lifetime, for castaways stranded on the beaches of Fiji and tasked with forming a new society, adapting to their surroundings and navigating an unpredictable social game to ensure their torch stays lit.
The Golden Bachelor (ABC) – Sept. 24
After more than 20 years of fostering young love on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, The Golden Bachelor showcases a new kind of love story – one for the golden years. One hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life. The women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities. In the end, will our Golden man turn the page to start a new chapter with the woman of his dreams?
Slow Horses (Apple TV+) – Sept. 24
In season five of Slow Horses, everyone is suspicious when resident tech nerd Roddy Ho has a glamorous new girlfriend, but when a series of increasingly bizarre events occur across the city, it falls to the Slow Horses to work out how everything is connected. After all, Lamb knows that in the world of espionage, the London Rules – cover your back – always apply.
Shark Tank (ABC) – Sept. 24
Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning business-themed unscripted series that celebrates entrepreneurship in America, returns to ABC and Hulu this fall for its 17th season with a powerhouse lineup of business tycoons and Guest Sharks featured throughout the season. The hit reality show that has become a culturally defining series and inspires a nation to dream bigger has amassed over $11 billion in retail sales from deals offered in the Tank.
Hotel Costiera (Prime Video) – Sept. 24
With a gripping storyline, fast-paced action and comedy, Hotel Costiera follows Daniel De Luca (Jesse Williams), a half Italian former U.S. Marine. Daniel returns to Italy, the land of his childhood, as a fixer in one of the world’s most luxurious hotels, located on the spectacular coastline of Positano. In addition to dealing with the wealthy guests’ problems, Daniel is also on the trail of Alice, one of the owner’s daughters who disappeared a month earlier. Daniel must do everything he can to bring her home, but facing those who kidnapped the girl will be more challenging than any problem Daniel has ever faced.
99 to Beat (Fox) – Sept. 24
In 99 to Beat, hosted by Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews, 100 contestants go head-to-head in a range of visually distinctive and hilarious games in an arced competition game show like we’ve never seen before. 99 to Beat is the game show that anyone can win, and there’s only one thing players must do for a chance of walking away with the cash prize – Don’t. Finish. Last. As contestants battle it out against each other, each round will see the number of players whittled down until one person is left standing and they take home the life-changing top prize of $1,000,000.
The Floor (Fox) – Sept. 24
Season four of the Rob Lowe-hosted game show premieres this fall.
English Teacher (FX) – Sept. 25
Season two of FX’s critically acclaimed comedy follows “Evan Marquez” (Brian Jordan Alvarez) as he continues to navigate his way through the political minefield known as the American high school. Back with Evan—though not always on his side—are his best friend “Gwen” (Stephanie Koenig), gym teacher “Markie” (Sean Patton), wild card guidance counselor “Rick” (Carmen Christopher) and constantly terrified “Principal Grant Moretti” (Enrico Colantoni).
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – Sept. 25
The long-running drama will solve new crimes and murders on season 27.
Law & Order (NBC) – Sept. 25
The long-running crime procedural returns for season 25.
Alice in Borderland (Netflix) – Sept. 25
After Usagi is abducted and left unconscious by a mysterious scholar obsessed with the afterlife, Arisu returns to the perilous “Borderland” to save her. Teaming up with new players, they must face the yet-unseen “Joker” stage in a desperate bid to find a way back to their original world.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test (Fox) – Sept. 25
In season four, the new celebrity recruits (see the full cast here) will be training in Morocco and will endure the grueling circumstances of urban warfare. New this season, some recruits will arrive in pairs consisting of spouses and family members. All recruits must learn the art of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable as they are faced with training challenges across the country’s expansive desert terrain, including a supply search in an abandoned village where they must race to extraction, a treacherous rat-run through dark and narrow tunnels, a plane shell dunk drill where pairs of recruits will be submerged under water and must escape, a death-defying urban ladder crossing between buildings 50 ft above the urban streets, and much more. In this experiment, there are no votes and no eliminations – just survival.
The Savant (Apple TV+) – Sept. 26
The tense and thrilling series follows an undercover investigator known as “The Savant” (Jessica Chastain) as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.
Cat’s Eye (Hulu) – Sept. 26
The new twelve-part series follows Hitomi, Rui and Ai – three sisters with a secret. By day, they run the popular Cat’s Eye Café; by night, they slip into the shadows, executing high-stakes art heists with precision and style. Since its manga debut in 1981, Cat’s Eye has developed a global fandom, with the upcoming series sure to deliver on everything fans have come to love: thrilling action, high stakes heists, and the impossibly complex relationship between Hitomi and her partner Detective Toshio – a man sworn to catch the infamous thieves.
The Death Investigator With Barbara Butcher (Oxygen) – Sept. 27
When a crime occurs, police secure the scene, but the body falls under the jurisdiction of the death investigator, a representative of the medical examiner’s office. Having investigated more than 5,500 death scenes over more than 20 years in the field, Barbara Butcher unpacks the stories behind some of the most compelling murders of our times, revealing that the keys to solving the case are often contained in the wealth of information held by the crime scene and the body that lies within it. This season details 10 different cases, including a fearless Las Vegas journalist ambushed outside his home, a body dumped in a NYC tunnel revealing shocking forensic contradictions, and a harrowing mission to discover the identity of a victim found in the East River.
Sister Wives (TLC) – Sept. 28
The Browns are back and more emotionally raw than ever. In the wake of multiple breakups, the family faces major turning points. Meri dips her toe into dating with an awkward but promising speed dating event, while Janelle takes steps toward a spiritual divorce after a freeing trip to New Orleans. Christine and David are settling into married life, but Christine is shaken when her kids begin moving to North Carolina near Janelle, sparking jealousy and hurt.
Krapopolis (Fox) – Sept. 28
In season three, Tyrannis holds the world’s first democratic elections, which is a terrible idea, while Deliria gets herself caught in a web of lies as she tries to get even with the gosspiy gods who cast her off Mt. Olympus. Shlub wants a forbidden boba and mobilizes an army to help him get it, while Tyrannis, wanting to show that he’s a man of the people, organizes the world’s first potluck supper.
The Simpsons (Fox) – Sept. 28
In the season 37 premiere, Lisa discovers Marge’s vintage clothes from the ’90s and is welcomed into the school’s elite fashion club. But to feed their hunger for retro looks, the thrifters break the law — becoming a fashionista bling ring. Season 37 also brings another chilling fright-fest in “Treehouse of Horror XXXVI,” where 1970s Springfield is menaced by a grease monster that feeds on human fat, Krusty makes a deal with the devil on his live Halloween special, and in a poseable plastic post-apocalyptic future, Bart and Lisa fight for the future of humanity.
In other season 37 stories, Homer becomes addicted to “Dad TV,” Bart and Professor Frink travel to an island of billionaire body-hackers, and a disgraced Superintendent Chalmers creates a line of skin care for men.
Bob’s Burgers (Fox) – Sept. 28
In season 16, Bob and Linda are on the verge of a big decision which brings up memories of when the restaurant first opened. Meanwhile, the kids embark on a new musical project. Linda becomes concerned when Gayle turns her love life into a performance art piece. Louise and Gene try to help Tina clear her name after she is fired as a Hall Monitor.
Universal Basic Guys (Fox) – Sept. 28
In season two of Universal Basic Guys, Mark, unwilling to admit that he forgot to pay a utility bill, fully commits to taking the family off the grid instead of paying a late fee. When Darren shows interest in playing hockey, Mark goes all-in to assemble the worst team of all time to build up his confidence. Mark and Hank go in on a racehorse together and have to come up with a plan to recoup the worst investment of their lives.
Source: www.eonline.com