Globe TV and pop culture critic Chris Vognar will be keeping an ear out for what kind of tone Kimmel strikes — 8:00 p.m.
By Chris Vognar, Globe Staff
Will he be defiant? Cautious? Contrite? Contrition doesn’t really seem like his thing, especially not after becoming a symbol of free speech and a sort of martyr for the late night TV world.
On the other hand, it’s hard to picture him gloating excessively — that’s not his style either. In a sense, he has won. He’s back on the air. Is it time for a victory lap? Or will he be looking to cool things down a little?
Glen Powell, Sarah McLachlan join Jimmy Kimmel as first guests following suspension — 7:45 p.m.
Matt Juul, Globe Staff
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has announced the slate of guests set to appear on the show as it returns from suspension this week.
Tuesday night’s episode will see “Chad Powers” star Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan join Kimmel for his first night back behind the desk. McLachlan and other artists recently bowed out of performing at Sunday’s premiere of the new documentary “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,” streaming on Disney-owned Hulu, saying, “we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” according to Billboard.
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Wednesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will feature “The Lowdown” actor Ethan Hawke and “Abbott Elementary” star Lisa Ann Walter, with YUNGBLUD as the night’s musical guest. Meanwhile, former NFL star Peyton Manning and “The Office” (now “The Paper”) actor Oscar Nuñez will join Kimmel on Thursday, along with musical guest Alex G.
Jimmy Kimmel pays tribute to Norman Lear ahead of late-night return — 7:30 p.m.
By Matt Juul, Globe Staff
Ahead of his return to late night, Jimmy Kimmel took to his Instagram account on Tuesday to pay tribute to late TV pioneer Norman Lear, who died at 101 in 2023.
“Missing this guy today,” wrote Kimmel, accompanied by a picture of the comedian with Lear.
Kimmel’s TV sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez also shared a post on Instagram Tuesday, featuring a photo of the duo embracing each other.
“We are back full of love‚” Rodriguez wrote in the post’s caption.
Watch: Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jon Stewart react to ABC reinstating Jimmy Kimmel — 7:00 p.m.
By Matt Juul, Globe Staff
Well, that was fast.
Less than a week after suspending Jimmy Kimmel in the aftermath of comments he made on his show about the murder of Charlie Kirk, ABC announced on Monday that it would reinstate the late-night host. The comedian will return to helm “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday night following “thoughtful conversations” between Kimmel and the Disney-owned network, according to a statement from ABC.
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Several late-night hosts weighed in on the announcement during their shows on Monday, including New Hampshire native Seth Meyers, who noted that the announcement came “minutes” before taping started for the latest episode of “Late Night.”
“Our friend Jimmy Kimmel will be back on the air tomorrow,” Meyers said as the audience erupted in applause. “That’s great news.”
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Despite Sinclair sale, ABC6 in Providence plans to air Kimmel Tuesday night — 6:45 p.m.
By Steph Machado, Globe Staff
When “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returns to late-night on Tuesday, viewers whose ABC stations are owned by TV giants Sinclair and Nexstar won’t be able to see it. But the program will air on at least one station operated by Sinclair: WLNE-TV in Providence, known as ABC6.
ABC6 was recently taken over by Sinclair in a shared services agreement with NBC10, another Sinclair station in the Providence-New Bedford market.
“Sinclair will not be pre-empting content on WLNE,” Sinclair spokesperson Jessica Belluci told the Globe in an email.
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Critic’s Notebook: To Trump, late-night TV is not a funny business — 6:30 p.m.
By Don Aucoin, Globe Staff
Among the many, many, many targets of attacks by President Trump, there is one that arouses an extra degree of vituperation in him: late-night TV talk shows.
Why? Because that arena is home to something Trump cannot abide: mockery.
So it was not remotely surprising that he responded with vindictive relish last week when ABC abruptly yanked “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air, suspending the host indefinitely in the aftermath of remarks he made following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. That followed the news, announced by CBS in July, that Stephen Colbert’s show will end next May.
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“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy [Fallon] and Seth [Meyers], two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”
But it turns out Trump’s celebration was premature, at least with regard to Kimmel. Disney, which owns ABC, announced Monday that Kimmel will return to the airwaves on Tuesday.
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Nexstar Media Group will preempt Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late night on its ABC affiliates, joining Sinclair stations — 6:00 p.m.
By David Bauder, The Associated Press
Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to late-night television Tuesday after a nearly weeklong suspension that triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and President Donald Trump’s ability to police the words of journalists, commentators and even comics.
But two groups of ABC affiliates that denounced Kimmel last week said they would not carry his return. Nexstar Media Group said Tuesday it would continue to preempt the show, “pending assurances that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” Sinclair Broadcast Group also said it would also keep Kimmel off its stations. The two corporations collectively control about a quarter of ABC affiliates.
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Jimmy Kimmel is the latest TV host to get into trouble. Here’s a look at others. — 5:30 p.m.
By Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from late night is not the first time a TV host has faced pushback or punishment for their on-air comments or off-air actions.
Career fabrications, romances, racial discussions, conflicts of interest, slurs, lewd language and sexual assault: TV hosts have faced career repercussions or pushback for all of the above. But the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” amid their hosts’ vocal anti-Trump stances has lately put the spotlight on humor and free speech.
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Late night TV talk shows have drifted deeper into politics since the days when Johnny Carson ruled the airwaves. Kimmel, Colbert, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Greg Gutfeld and John Oliver have all leaned heavily on political satire to draw laughs.
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Here’s how Conan O’Brien, other notable New England comics reacted to Kimmel’s suspension — 5:00 p.m.
By Matt Juul and Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff
Former late-night host and Brookline native Conan O’Brien shared a statement via his Team Coco Instagram account on Friday, writing, “The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel and the promise to silence other Late Night hosts for criticizing the administration should disturb everyone on the Right, Left, and Center.”
He added, “It’s wrong and anyone with a conscience knows it’s wrong.”
See more reactions from New England comics and stars.
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