In his comeback, Jimmy Kimmel struck a tone of sorrow for his controversial comments about Charlie Kirk - without saying sorry - and went on to make clear he would refuse to be cowed by his critics, chiefly Donald Trump.
Referencing last week's remarks that led to his brief suspension by Disney, the late-night talk show host stopped short of an apology as his show returned on Tuesday.
Kimmel chose his words carefully as he said he accepted that some people felt his remarks about Kirk's death had been 'ill-timed or unclear or maybe both', and told them: 'I get why you're upset.'
Last week, the host made a clumsy connection between the man suspected of shooting the conservative influencer earlier this month and the 'Maga gang', joking that Trump's reaction was akin to 'how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish'.
On Tuesday, Kimmel choked up as he told viewers it was 'never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man'. He also emphasized it was not his 'intention' to 'blame any specific group' for the actions of Kirk's killer.
He stressed that he 'meant it' when he posted a message sending love to Kirk's family on Instagram last week before this row erupted.
However, Kimmel was also determined to make clear that the recent backlash would not force him to back off his treatment of Trump.
In fact, being at the center of a storm about free speech seems to have hardened his resolve.
Kimmel delivered a defiant monologue, addressing Trump's jibes about his ratings while noting that the controversy had increased viewership of his show: 'He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.'
Trump has signaled that Kimmel's return will escalate his battle with both the comedian and his network. With Kimmel’s strong return, it appears the ongoing tensions between Trump and the media will continue to unfold.
Referencing last week's remarks that led to his brief suspension by Disney, the late-night talk show host stopped short of an apology as his show returned on Tuesday.
Kimmel chose his words carefully as he said he accepted that some people felt his remarks about Kirk's death had been 'ill-timed or unclear or maybe both', and told them: 'I get why you're upset.'
Last week, the host made a clumsy connection between the man suspected of shooting the conservative influencer earlier this month and the 'Maga gang', joking that Trump's reaction was akin to 'how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish'.
On Tuesday, Kimmel choked up as he told viewers it was 'never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man'. He also emphasized it was not his 'intention' to 'blame any specific group' for the actions of Kirk's killer.
He stressed that he 'meant it' when he posted a message sending love to Kirk's family on Instagram last week before this row erupted.
However, Kimmel was also determined to make clear that the recent backlash would not force him to back off his treatment of Trump.
In fact, being at the center of a storm about free speech seems to have hardened his resolve.
Kimmel delivered a defiant monologue, addressing Trump's jibes about his ratings while noting that the controversy had increased viewership of his show: 'He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.'
Trump has signaled that Kimmel's return will escalate his battle with both the comedian and his network. With Kimmel’s strong return, it appears the ongoing tensions between Trump and the media will continue to unfold.
