Jimmy Kimmel has had a crazy 2025. His show got taken off the air, then put back on before long thanks to the power of the people. After accepting his second Critics Choice Award, he had a few things to say.
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On January 4, the talk show host accepted the 2026 Critics Choice Award. And in his acceptance speech, he described this year as an out-of-body experience.
“It was almost a near-death experience for me,” he said. “Of course, not literally, but I did feel a little bit like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn watching their own funeral, when all this stuff happened.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was brought off the air in September after comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. Although his show was restored later that month, he has continued to be on Donald Trump’s bad side.
Jimmy Kimmel Thanks His Fans For Their Support
Jimmy Kimmel thanked the fans (and later those that make the show possible) for their support when the show was taken down.
“To be here and to see that people reacted to [being back] in not just a positive way, but in almost a desperate way, we’re like, ‘Oh boy, when they come after the comedians, this is when we draw the line,'” he joked. “We’re very grateful that they drew the line at us”
Kimmel then thanked those that made the show possible.
“Thank you to all the writers and actors and producers and union members, many of you who are in this room, who supported us, who really stepped forward for us, and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or this country.”
He ended his speech by poking the bear even more. “Most of all, I wanna thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.”
“So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day,” he said. “It’s been a banner couple of weeks, and we can’t wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them.”