In a Thursday monologue, Jimmy Fallon addressed the fallout surrounding ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, telling viewers that he hopes Kimmel returns. "I hope he comes back," Fallon said, framing the moment as part of an ongoing industry-wide discussion about late-night programming and editorial independence.
Fallon, who has publicly tangled with President Donald Trump in his own right, opened with a joke about his dad thinking that Fallon and Kimmel were the ones on hiatus, before turning serious. "To be honest with you all. I don’t know what’s going on and no-one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel. He’s a decent, funny and loving guy and I hope he comes back." The remarks underscored the personal connections among late-night hosts during a period of sudden change in the ABC lineup.
Fallon then pivoted back into comedy, teeing up a lengthy bit about the president’s trip to the U.K. and saying he would cover the story "just like I normally would." He followed with a line that echoed the show’s usual mix of satire and current events: "Yeah, a lot of people are worried that we won’t keep saying what we want to say or that we’ll be censored but I’m going to cover the president’s trip to the U.K. just like I normally would." In the same sequence, Fallon appeared to mock and trash Trump, but his remarks were presented with a track that dubbed only positive comments about the president.
The exchange highlighted the tensions that continue to shape late-night television as networks navigate political topics and audience expectations. The moment, described in coverage of Fallon’s monologue, comes amid ongoing discourse about press freedom, censorship, and the role of comedians in political discourse. HuffPost notes that the remarks were part of a broader conversation sparked by ABC’s actions and the subsequent public reactions to Kimmel’s suspension.