At the 2026 Critics’ Choice Award, Jimmy Kimmel accepted the award for Best Talk Show by both playfully criticizing former President Donald Trump and highlighting the value of free expression.
Jimmy Kimmel’s show was temporarily taken off the air last year after he made a joke about someone allegedly targeting Charlie Kirk. This decision was welcomed by Donald Trump, who Kimmel often makes fun of on the show.
After being briefly removed, the suspension was reinstated, but it sparked worries about the state of free speech in America. Jimmy Kimmel addressed this issue when he accepted his award on Sunday.
Jimmy Kimmel thanked the writers, actors, producers, and union members who supported him, especially those present in the room. He emphasized that their actions were crucial in highlighting the importance of free speech, something not to be taken for granted in the city or the country, and expressed his gratitude for their support.
He then proceeded to mock Trump and thanked him for ‘all the many ridiculous thins you do.’
I especially want to thank President Donald Trump,” he added. “Without his support, we wouldn’t have achieved this tonight.
Thank you, Mr. President. You’ve certainly kept us entertained with everything you’ve been doing lately! We’ve had a busy couple of weeks, and we’re excited to discuss it all when we’re back on the air tomorrow night. Thanks to everyone.
Throughout the year, Jimmy Kimmel has consistently and openly criticized Donald Trump, using his show to challenge the former President’s actions, words, and personal qualities, resulting in an ongoing feud.
Following the September assassination of Charlie Kirk, he was removed from his broadcast after stating that supporters of the ‘MAGA’ movement were attempting to distance the shooter from their group and exploit the tragedy for political gain.
He further accused them of exploiting the tragedy for their own gain, and then compared Trump’s grief to the simplistic sadness of a young child losing a pet goldfish.
A conservative activist was fatally shot on September 10th at the age of 31 while speaking at a debate on the campus of Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with murder, accused of shooting the activist from a rooftop during his speech.
ABC, which is owned by Disney, canceled his show after the incident. Additionally, the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, cautioned the network that they could lose their broadcasting license due to the show’s content.
Trump later hinted that television networks consistently offering negative coverage of him might lose their broadcasting licenses.
The issue caused widespread criticism and demonstrations, as many people accused the White House of violating the rights to free speech and a free press.
Disney received significant backlash from Hollywood celebrities after they put Jimmy Kimmel on leave. Singer Olivia Rodrigo joined over 400 other stars in signing an ACLU letter that defended free speech and criticized Disney’s move.
Just a few days after the incident, Kimmel came back to his show and delivered a heartfelt speech, visibly emotional, explaining that he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death.
Kimmel stated he doesn’t expect to change anyone’s opinion, but he wanted to be clear about something important to him: he never meant to downplay the seriousness of a young man’s murder.
‘I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.’
He clarified that he wasn’t accusing any particular group for the actions of someone who was clearly very troubled. In fact, he explained, his intention was quite the opposite – to avoid assigning blame to anyone but the individual themselves.
He acknowledged that his comments last week may have been poorly timed, unclear, or both.
Kimmel expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him, including current and former late-night hosts, and even an old boss from his Seattle radio days who recently reached out.
He mentioned that even people who don’t enjoy his comedy, like Senator Ted Cruz, defended his right to perform and express his views.
The show started strong with high ratings on its premiere, but those numbers quickly dropped back to its previous levels.
Jimmy Kimmel’s wife and longtime collaborator, Molly McNearney, has shared that they once believed his career had stalled and wasn’t going anywhere.
But his show has secured a one-year contract extension, keeping him on air until May 2027.
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2026-01-05 04:35