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Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, upon his return to television screens on Tuesday, declared that former President Donald Trump’s attempts to “cancel” him had “backfired bigly.” Kimmel provocatively quipped that Trump “might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this” unexpected outcome.
Kimmel’s show made its highly anticipated return on September 23, albeit not universally across all markets, following a brief hiatus stemming from remarks that were previously deemed innocuous. During his monologue, a visibly emotional Kimmel took time to clarify those initial comments, emphasizing that it was “never my intention to make light of” any serious incident. More significantly, he used the platform to underscore the vital importance of safeguarding free speech and, specifically, ensuring the continued existence of a robust and free press in the United States.
Reflecting on a clip where Trump claimed his show lacked ratings, Kimmel retorted, “Well, I do tonight.” He added, “You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now.”
The veteran comedian also voiced concerns about Disney, the parent company, being “unjustly” exposed to risk due to the political pressure. Kimmel referenced Trump’s past actions, noting how he “was somehow able to squeeze Colbert out of CBS,” and highlighted Trump’s public calls for similar repercussions against other late-night personalities.
“We have to speak out against this because he’s not stopping,” Kimmel urged. He broadened his warning beyond comedy, stating, “It’s not just comedy. He’s gunning for our journalists too. He’s suing them, he’s bullying them.” Kimmel further pointed to a recent announcement by Pete Hegseth concerning a new policy. This policy reportedly mandates journalists with Pentagon press credentials to sign a pledge, committing not to report information unless it has been explicitly authorized for release—even unclassified details.
Kimmel concluded his impassioned plea by stressing, “They wanna pick and choose what the news is. I know that’s not as interesting as muzzling a comedian, but it’s so important to have a free press and it’s nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it.” The broadcast also featured a notable guest appearance from Robert De Niro, humorously cast as “the new chairman of the FCC.”