Jimmy Kimmel says media ‘maliciously mischaracterized’ his remarks on Charlie Kirk’s shooter

WASHINGTON, DC: Jimmy Kimmel has hit back at conservative outlets, accusing them of deliberately twisting his comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.

In an interview with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw on Wednesday, October 8, Kimmel admitted he didn’t expect his remarks about Kirk’s shooter to spark such a major backlash.

Jimmy Kimmel recalls realizing his remarks about Charlie Kirk’s death sparked backlash

At the annual Bloomberg Screentime event, Lucas Shaw sat down with several public figures, including late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. During their conversation, Shaw asked Kimmel when he realized his recent controversy had escalated into something serious.

"I didn't think there was a big problem," Kimmel said. "I just saw it as distortion on the part of some of the right-wing media networks, and I aimed to correct it."

Used to public scrutiny, Kimmel said it’s often hard to predict which moments will spiral. The turning point came when ABC temporarily pulled his show off the air. "When they pulled the show off the air, that’s when I realized it had gotten serious," he added

Despite the fallout, Kimmel described the following days as a learning experience. He spoke with network executives and reflected on how he handled the situation.

"It helped me understand where everyone was coming from," he said. "I can be reactionary. I can sometimes be aggressive or unpleasant. Taking those days to think about it helped."

When asked whether he believed his original remarks had been misrepresented, Kimmel didn’t hold back. “I didn’t ‘feel’ like it. It was,” he said. “It was intentionally, and I think maliciously, mischaracterized.”

Jimmy Kimmel calls backlash ‘unfair’ to Disney bosses

Kimmel also called the controversy deeply unfair—not just to him, but to his employers. “I think what has happened over the last three weeks was very unfair to my bosses at Disney,” he said.

“I don't think anyone should ever be put in a position like this. It’s insane. I hope we drew a bold red line as Americans about what we will and will not accept. I really hope that’s what comes out of this.”

After his brief suspension, Kimmel returned to the air with a heartfelt message to viewers, attempting to clarify his intentions.

“I want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human,” he said. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man, nor to blame any specific group. It was a deeply disturbed individual. That was the opposite of my point.”

He acknowledged that his words may have seemed poorly timed or unclear. “I understand that to some, it felt ill-timed or confusing, and for those who think I was pointing fingers, I get why you’re upset. If the roles were reversed, I might’ve felt the same.”

Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension controversy over Charlie Kirk remarks explained

In mid-September 2025, days after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck by Tyler Robinson, Kimmel sparked backlash during an episode of his late-night show. He accused the “MAGA gang” of “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and of trying to “score political points” from the tragedy.

Major ABC affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their schedules, calling his remarks “offensive and insensitive.” FCC Chair Brendan Carr also condemned Kimmel’s comments and warned broadcasters they could face consequences if they failed to act.

Amid growing backlash, Disney and ABC suspended the show, citing the remarks as “ill-timed” and “insensitive.” After six days off air and internal discussions, ABC reinstated Kimmel.

In his return episode, Kimmel addressed the controversy directly, saying he regretted that some viewers had misunderstood his intent. He emphasized that he never meant to downplay the tragedy or politicize Kirk’s death.