Jimmy Kimmel returned to the air with his evening television show on Tuesday after a nearly week-long hiatus and, in an emotional monologue in which he appeared on the verge of tears, said that he did not mean to mock the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Associated Press writes, BTA reported.
“I have no illusions that I will change anyone's mind, but I want to make something clear, because it is important for me as a person that you understand that I never intended to mock the killing of a young man,“ Kimmel said. “I don't think there's anything funny about that.“
He added that he wasn't trying to blame a specific group “for the actions of a person who was obviously deeply upset. That was the exact opposite of what I was trying to say.“ He said he understood that his comments last week were “inappropriate or unclear, or maybe both“.
But Kimmel didn't apologize. He criticized the ABC affiliates that pulled his show. Two groups of television stations that represent about a quarter of ABC's stations, Sinclair and Nexstar, ordered their networks not to air Kimmel on Tuesday.
“This is not legal,“ Kimmel said. “This is not American. It's un-American.
The incident has sparked a national debate in the United States about free speech and President Donald Trump's ability to control the speech of journalists, commentators and even comedians. ABC pulled Kimmel from its show last Wednesday after criticism of his comments about the consequences of Kirk's killing. But the network has reinstated him after a backlash against its parent company, Disney.
Kimmel thanked many of his supporters, including fellow late-night talk show hosts past and present. He also singled out people he knows aren't fans of his show but have stood up for his right to speak out, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
"It takes courage to speak out against this administration," Kimmel said. “They did it and they deserve credit for it.“
The host nearly cried again as he praised Kirk's widow, Erica, for publicly forgiving her husband's killer.
“That's an example we should follow,“ he said. “If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it is... A selfless act of mercy, forgiveness from a grieving widow. That touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many others. And if there's one thing we should take from this tragedy to move forward, I hope it's that.“
Kimmel admitted he was angry when ABC fired him, but he praised his bosses for bringing him back on the air. “It's unfair, it puts them at risk.“
He mocked Trump for criticizing him for the poor ratings. “He tried to get me out, but instead he forced millions of people to watch this show,“ Kimmel said.