Jimmy Kimmel receives outstanding welcome after suspension drama
Jimmy Kimmel back with a bang and a standing ovation
Jimmy Kimmel has made a triumphant return to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and his team couldn’t have been happier to see him back.
The 56-year-old late-night host was hit with a shock suspension last week after sparking outrage over comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s tragic death.
After ‘thoughtful conversations’ with him, the Walt Disney Company reversed its decision and announced that he would return on Tuesday.
The staff members were so overwhelmed that they gave the comedian a rapturous standing ovation at rehearsals.
A source told People: “We gave Jimmy a much-deserved standing ovation at rehearsal. Everyone was very happy and relieved to have him back.”
Producers say his comeback monologue “will take all day” to write, with huge scrutiny now hanging over his every word.
In a statement, Disney admitted suspending the show was to avoid “inflaming a tense situation” but said they were now ready to move forward.
Although Kimmel has returned, not everyone is convinced.
Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, branded his remarks “offensive and insensitive.”
Meanwhile, Sinclair, which controls 39 ABC affiliates across the US, has vowed to keep him off screens until the TV host apologises directly to the Kirk family and makes a “meaningful donation.”
What were Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks about Charlie Kirk?
American TV host Kimmel had been criticised after suggesting the suspected gunman in Kirk’s fatal shooting had ties to the MAGA movement.
In his original monologue, he blasted attempts to politicise the killing, saying: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
