In a rare departure from his usual comedic barbs, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel offered a sincere and emotional thank you to his audience during the final episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live for the year. The broadcast on Thursday night saw the comedian set aside his signature snark to reflect on a personally and professionally challenging period.
A Year of Highs, Lows, and FCC Pressure
Kimmel opened his monologue by acknowledging the strangeness and difficulty of the past year. His voice began to waver with emotion as he thanked viewers for their unwavering support, stating it was a year with more personal highs and lows than perhaps any other in his life. He apologized for becoming tearful so quickly, but pushed forward with his message of gratitude.
"On behalf of all of us at the show, I just want to say that we appreciate your support, your enthusiasm — and not just for watching this year," Kimmel said. "You literally pulled us out of a hole and we cannot thank you enough, personally, professionally."
The "hole" Kimmel referenced was his weeklong suspension by ABC in September. This disciplinary action followed criticism of comments he made related to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel, a long-time critic of former President Donald Trump, had suggested that some on the political right were attempting to mischaracterize the shooter. While the gunman's motives remain unclear, Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr accused Kimmel of trying to "directly mislead the American public."
Backlash Against Regulatory Threats
Prior to ABC's suspension announcement, Carr issued a statement with a threatening tone, saying, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." He suggested ABC should "take action" against Kimmel or face potential consequences from the FCC. Carr's mafia-like remarks and his close ties to Trump sparked significant backlash, with critics from across the political spectrum viewing the intervention as a dangerous threat to free speech and the First Amendment.
In response, some of Kimmel's fans organized boycotts against The Walt Disney Company, ABC's parent corporation, with many cancelling subscriptions to Disney's streaming services in protest. This viewer mobilization was part of what Kimmel credited with helping to pull his show "out of a hole."
Reflecting on a Changed America and Offering Hope
After his expression of thanks, Kimmel broadened his focus to the state of the nation since Trump took office. He admitted that hosting his show, while not the hardest job, often felt like "spinning our wheels" in the face of constant, self-inflicted damage and clearly wrong actions.
"You grow up reading 'Superman' and you learn to value truth, justice and the American way," Kimmel reflected. "And then you start to realize — especially over the last year — you don't know where that all went. You don't know what the American way even is anymore."
He then pivoted to a message of resilience and connection. Kimmel said hearing from viewers who find solace in his show and others like it makes him "feel less crazy." He emphasized the importance of letting international audiences know that "a lot of us are not OK with what is happening" but affirmed his belief that "there is still much more good in this country than bad."
Kimmel asked for patience as the country endures what he termed an "extended psychotic episode," before transitioning, as expected, back into sharp criticism of Donald Trump. The full, emotional monologue stands as a candid year-end capstone to a tumultuous period for the host and his program.
