Jimmy Kimmel’s Sept. 23 monologue didn’t just mark his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after being suspended by ABC. It also surprised fans with an unexpected roll call of supporters. Kimmel thanked a select group of people who, in any other context, might be the butt of his jokes.
Kimmel's highly-anticipated monologue in his return on Tuesday night covered the comedian's response to his suspension, where he stands with ABC today, and his message to the FCC. Stopping short of issuing an apology for anything he said regarding Charlie Kirk's murder, Kimmel went on to thank those who reached out or made public statements in support of the late-night host.
Of course, that list included Kimmel's colleagues like Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, as well as late-night TV legends such as Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, and even Jay Leno. But the most surprising names on the list where the conservative and GOP voices who stood up for Kimmel.
Kimmel singled out conservative commentators Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, and Candace Owens, along with Republican politicians Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz. For anyone who has watched Kimmel over the years, that list is nothing short of shocking. These are names he’s regularly mocked, parodied, and turned into late-night punchlines. Cruz, in particular, has been a long-running target, with Kimmel taking down the Texas senator on everything from his book to their infamous charity basketball game.
"And maybe weirdly, 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," Kimmel said. "People who I never would have imagined, like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz, who believe it or not said something very beautiful on my behalf. "
Kimmel then played an audio clip of Cruz admitting he loved the fact Kimmel was "fired," but condemned government censorship taking people off the air. Perhaps for the first time in Jimmy Kimmel Live! history, the host was forced to agree with Senator Cruz.
The host explained that, despite their usual differences, many of these figures had publicly defended his right to speak freely, even if they disagreed with what he said about the late Charlie Kirk. For Kimmel, who has often framed his comedy as standing up to hypocrisy, their backing carried more weight than his more predictable supporters.
Rather than reading support from his friends in late-night TV like Colbert, Meyers, or Oliver, Kimmel intentionally chose to highlight words from Cruz. The ABC host clearly wanted to make the point that what happened to him goes beyond party lines. As Kimmel admitted, his show "isn't important," but protecting freedom of speech and limiting government overreach are much more significant topics.
By highlighting these unlikely voices, Kimmel also avoided the narrative that late-night TV is an echo chamber of liberals out of touch with half the country. Instead, he framed the issue in broader, bipartisan terms. The truce may not last long, but it was an important moment when two sides found common ground rather than reason to hurl insults