Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Silence on Charlie Kirk Comments Controversy: "Maliciously Mischaracterised" by Right-Wing Media

Disney brought Jimmy Kimmel back to television on September 23, resulting in his highest ratings ever.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel believed his late-night career was finished after ABC suspended his show following his controversial comments about political activist Charlie Kirk's assassination.

"I was presented with a list of demands, and I refused to comply with any of them," Kimmel revealed at the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday. "I thought, well, I guess we're done. I told my wife, 'That's it. It's over.'"

In his first interview since returning to television, Kimmel claimed his remarks about Kirk's death were "intentionally and maliciously mischaracterised" by right-wing political figures.

The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Disney's ABC network became embroiled in the Trump administration's culture wars following his comments last month. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urged television stations to drop the show or potentially face regulatory consequences.

Kimmel, whose contract expires in May, declined to comment on whether he would continue hosting after that date.

Major station owners Nexstar Media Group Inc. and Sinclair Inc., along with ABC, suspended the program for several days, sparking nationwide debate about free speech. Sinclair requested that Kimmel apologize and make a donation to Kirk's cause.

Disney reinstated Kimmel on September 23, resulting in his highest viewership numbers ever. Nexstar and Sinclair restored the show to their lineups later that week.

In his September 15 monologue, Kimmel criticized Republicans for exploiting Kirk's death to attack their opponents. "The MAGA gang reached new lows over the weekend by trying to portray the individual who killed Charlie Kirk as something other than one of their own," he stated.

At Wednesday's Screentime event, Kimmel explained he saw the reaction to Kirk's death as "distortion on the part of some right-wing media networks and I aimed to correct it."

Kimmel revealed he didn't script his return monologue, saying it "had to come from inside me, had to be truthful and I had to lay it all out there and be honest with what I was feeling."

The host mentioned he wouldn't invite Carr on his show but would welcome President Donald Trump as a guest.

Despite strong support for Kimmel from fans and fellow late-night hosts, the economics of the format are declining amid competition from streaming platforms and changing viewer demographics. In July, CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert after its current season, describing it as "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."

Kimmel acknowledged that low ratings for programs preceding his have negatively impacted his viewership. The availability of clips on YouTube has also affected ratings.

However, he disputed reports that shows like his and Colbert's are losing tens of millions of dollars, noting such figures don't account for additional revenue streams like fees from local stations.

When asked about potential successors to Bob Iger as Disney CEO, Kimmel admitted it would be "very foolish for me to answer that question." Nevertheless, he expressed admiration for Disney's TV chief Dana Walden, who was instrumental in his show's suspension and return.

"I ruined Dana's weekend" with constant phone calls, Kimmel admitted. "But I don't think the result would have been as positive if I hadn't talked to Dana as much as I did. I love Dana Walden very much and I think she's done a great job."

Other speakers at Wednesday's event included Warner Music Group Corp. CEO Robert Kyncl and Netflix Inc. co-CEO Greg Peters.

The Bloomberg Screentime conference, an annual event focused on entertainment, sports, and media, continues Thursday with guests including Paramount Skydance Corp. CEO David Ellison, music manager Irving Azoff, and Sinners director Ryan Coogler. Bloomberg subscribers can follow Thursday's events via live blog starting at 9:30 a.m. Los Angeles time.