Jimmy Kimmel is back and he's serving drama, sass, veiled barbs at President Donald Trump and even a Tylenol joke

If anyone thought Jimmy would cower, think again — our Jimmy came back even more fierce

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Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Entertainment, Lifestyle and Sport Editor
3 MIN READ
Jimmy Kimmel and US President Donald Trump
Jimmy Kimmel and US President Donald Trump

Dubai: Jimmy’s back, and he’s not holding back. In his first show since being yanked off the air, Kimmel mixed humor with heat, serving sass and just the right amount of late-night drama.

He understandably took shots at Donald Trump, who had tried to muscle him off TV a couple of weeks ago. But if anyone thought Jimmy would cower, think again — our Jimmy came back swinging, with emotion, wit, and that trademark edge.

Walking onto his stage/turf after weeks in the penalty box, Kimmel opened with a jab that landed right between comedy and chaos: “Honestly, I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours — me, or the CEO of Tylenol. And that’s saying something.”

From there, our Jimmy went full throttle — aiming straight at Donald Trump, who tried (and failed) to yank him off the air, and reminding everyone that when leaders can’t take a joke, it’s not power, it’s fragility.

But just when you thought it was all punchlines and payback, Kimmel switched gears. He got real, praising Charlie Kirk’s widow for choosing forgiveness over fury — a grace note when she forgave her husband's shooter that hit harder than any clapback.

It was sass, satire, and soul rolled into one comeback monologue. And if anyone thought Jimmy would tiptoe back? Nope. He marched in, mic swinging.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 developments so far:

1. Kimmel returns to air after suspension
Jimmy Kimmel resumed hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night to a cheering audience, his first appearance since ABC temporarily suspended the show.

2. What triggered the suspension
The controversy began after Kimmel made remarks about the political response to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which drew strong criticism.

3. FCC Chair’s intervention
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr publicly denounced Kimmel’s monologue, calling it inappropriate, and raised the prospect of regulatory action.

4. Affiliate networks pull the show
Major broadcast groups Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would stop airing Kimmel’s show on their ABC affiliate stations, citing the backlash.

5. Disney-owned ABC responds
ABC initially said the show would be “pre-empted indefinitely,” sparking debates about whether the decision restricted free speech.

6. Industry backlash and support
Several Hollywood figures, including comedian Marc Maron, rallied behind Kimmel, describing the suspension as an attack on free expression.

7. Political reactions
While many conservatives applauded the suspension, some Republican leaders, including Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, warned that government pressure on broadcasters was “dangerous.”

8. Kimmel addresses controversy
In his comeback monologue, Kimmel stressed that he never intended to make light of a young man’s death and praised Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, for her public act of forgiveness.

9. Audience and public response
Fans lined up outside the Hollywood studio for his return, with some saying they had canceled Disney subscriptions in protest of the suspension.

10. The broader implications
The clash has raised wider questions about the relationship between media companies, political influence, and freedom of expression in American entertainment.

Manjusha Radhakrishnan
Manjusha RadhakrishnanEntertainment, Lifestyle and Sport Editor
Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema. Red carpets? She’s walked them all—Europe, North America, Macau—covering IIFA (Bollywood Oscars) and Zee Cine Awards like a pro. She’s been on CNN with Becky Anderson dropping Bollywood truth bombs like Salman Khan Black Buck hunting conviction and hosted panels with directors like Bollywood’s Kabir Khan and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She has also covered film festivals around the globe. Oh, and did we mention she landed the cover of Xpedition Magazine as one of the UAE’s 50 most influential icons? She was also the resident Bollywood guru on Dubai TV’s Insider Arabia and Saudi TV, where she dishes out the latest scoop and celebrity news. Her interview roster reads like a dream guest list—Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Robbie Williams, Sean Penn, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Morgan Freeman. From breaking celeb news to making stars spill secrets, Manjusha doesn’t just cover entertainment—she owns it while looking like a star herself.
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