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Jimmy Kimmel failed to apologize for his jokes following the assassination of Charlie Kirk as he returned to TV for the first time on Tuesday night.
The host gave a tearful 20-minute monologue in which he claimed he 'never intended to make light of' the MAGA icon's death - and then proceeded to lash out at Donald Trump over censorship.
Kimmel's late-night ABC show was yanked off air by Disney last week after he stated that Kirk's killer was a Trump supporter. In reality, the assassin was a liberal who seethed with hatred at Kirk over his conservative, Christian ethics.
The host received a standing ovation as he told his audience: 'A government threat to silence a comedian the government doesn't like is anti-American.'
Kimmel acknowledged his employer of more than 20 years was taking an enormous risk in putting him back on TV.
'Unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk,' he said. 'The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from their job.
'Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke.'
Kimmel broke down when discussing what he said about the assassination of Kirk - but he never once said he was sorry.
'I have no illusions about changing anyone's mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it's important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,' Kimmel said, his voice breaking.
'I don't think there's anything funny about it.'
Kimmel singled out FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, saying his conduct was 'not legal' and 'un-American' after the chairman threatened to go after late night comics.
He then branded Carr's threat against Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers as not only 'a direct violation of the first amendment' but also 'not a particularly intelligent threat.'
'Brendan Carr is the most embarrassing car Republicans have embraced since this one,' Kimmel cracked, before showing a photo of a Trump-branded Tesla.
Kimmel's tearful address, however, wasn't enough to silence conservative critics who vented their fury that he was allowed to return at all.
'Not good enough,' Kirk's former co-host, Andrew Kolvet, wrote on X.
'Jimmy, it's simple. Here's what you need to say: 'I'm sorry for saying the shooter was MAGA. He was not. He was of the left. I apologize to the Kirk family for lying. Please accept my sincere apology. I will do better. I was wrong.'
Just a week after his Jimmy Kimmel Live! program was pulled off air over insensitive remarks about the fallout from Kirk's death, the TV host mounted a triumphant return.
He thanked the people who supported him, and even people who don't like him who stood up for his right to speak, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
'It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration,' he said. 'They did and they deserve credit for it.'
He mocked Trump for criticizing him for bad ratings. 'He tried his best to cancel me and instead he forced millions of people to watch this show,' Kimmel said.
The president led the outrage before the show even began, threatening to sue the network for reinstating Kimmel on air and questioning why 'ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.'
He wrote on Truth Social: 'The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his "talent" was never there.
'Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who's not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.'
Trump's sentiment was echoed by other conservatives.
'Tonight, Jimmy Kimmel's return to the airwaves was nothing short of a masterclass in denial and deflection. His so-called apology was a carefully crafted tapestry of lies, where he conveniently forgot to mention the very group he smeared,' critic Kelly Holmes said.
'Instead of owning up to his blatant accusation, he played the victim card, whining about threats and feigning innocence. He pointed the finger at MAGA, and no amount of fake tears or scripted remorse can change that. Shame on you ABC!'
Jack Posobiec added: 'In typical leftist fashion, Jimmy makes the victim himself.'
Another critic noted: 'Jimmy Kimmel DID NOT apologize or tell the truth tonight in his first show back back from suspension.'
A third added: 'ABC I have canceled all streaming services connected to you. I will no longer watch anything and I mean ANYTHING that is tainted by you. You condone the assassination of a man of God by putting Jimmy Kimmel back on you have proven you are against Christians and for murder.'
But Hollywood in particular rallied behind Kimmel.
Ben Stiller described his opening spiel as a 'brilliant monologue', while Pod Save America host Jon Favreau called it 'outstanding' and suggested viewers tune in 'especially if you don't like Kimmel.'
'This from Kimmel is the best apology I've ever seen,' added Keith Olbermann, who himself had to apologize for threatening CNN's Scott Jennings earlier today.
Robert De Niro appeared on the show on Tuesday, impersonating Carr being interviewed by Kimmel. De Niro, as Carr, said the FCC had a new motto, 'sticks and stones can break your bones.'
'Isn't there more to the saying,' Kimmel asked, 'that words can never hurt you?'
'They can hurt you now,' De Niro responded, saying you have to make sure to say the right ones.
During his monologue, Kimmel tried to explain what he said about the TPUSA founder but did not directly apologize.
He said it was not 'my intention to blame any specific group for the actions what - it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual,' he said.
'That was really in the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you're upset. If the situation was reversed, there's a good chance I'd have felt the same way.'
He referenced expecting sky high ratings for his segment after Trump suggested he had 'no ratings': 'Well, I do tonight!'
'[Trump] 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,' Kimmel added.
Kimmel took the stage to a long standing ovation and chants of 'Jimmy, Jimmy.' One audience member, Walter Bates, said after the taping that Kimmel's discussion of Kirk's wife 'was a very moving moment. I got very emotional and so did my wife.'
Meanwhile, local ABC stations operated by Sinclair and Nexstar - which had vowed not to air Kimmel's program - broadcast a wide array of different shows instead.
In Little Rock, Arkansas, a weatherman discussed local flash floods, while in Nashville a news anchor said the hour would be dedicated to 'all the people and places that make this community unique.'
High profile conservative X account Nick Sortor shared a screenshot of his efforts to watch the show, writing: 'THIS is what people in major cities across the United States (including myself) see when they attempt to watch Jimmy Kimmel. I'm in Phoenix, but Kimmel is also blacked out at my home in Washington, DC.'
One couple in the audience claimed Kimmel's parents were sitting in the crowd, and that his mother warned she would likely get emotional ahead of his appearance on stage.
This risk did not spare ABC from Kimmel's ire, however. Kimmel acknowledged the widespread boycott liberals had undertaken since his suspension, joking at Disney had asked him to read off a script providing instructions for supporters looking to reactivate their subscription accounts.
Disney faced immense pressure from Hollywood stars after suspending Kimmel. Singer Olivia Rodrigo was also among 400 stars to sign an ACLU open letter supporting free speech and condemning Disney's decision on Monday.
Kimmel wrapped up his monologue with a message praising Kirk's wife, Erika.
'She forgave him,' Kimmel said, choking back tears. 'That is an example we should follow.'
'If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was. That, that's it. A selfless act of grace. Forgiveness from a grieving widow.
'It touched me deeply, and I hope it touches many. And if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that.'