An emotional Jimmy Kimmel has criticised anti-American threats to free speech during his return to late-night US television - following a brief suspension after comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The comedian said during Tuesday's show - his first since the controversy - that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.
Kimmel also compared Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr to a mob boss, and poked fun at President Donald Trump's appearance at the UN.
But Tuesday's episode was not viewable in all markets, due to resistance from many local stations affiliated with ABC.
However, the show was available on streaming service Hulu + Live TV, owned by Disney - which is also the parent of ABC.
Dozens of local TV stations in the US run by affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair said they would continue to replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with alternate programming for now.
Carr - who leads the organisation that regulates American television - praised their decision in a post on X on Tuesday.
Kimmel was critical of Carr, who was one of the first to call for his suspension, saying that the FCC chair once supported free speech but seemed to have changed stance after Kimmel's remarks.
He also condemned Trump for calling for the dismissal of late-night hosts who are critical of his administration.
Despite strong backlash and support from fellow late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, Nexstar and Sinclair networks continued to preempt Kimmel's show, demanding a commitment to respectful dialogue in their markets.
Kimmel's return sparked discussions on the state of free speech in America, highlighting the ongoing tensions between entertainment and political discourse.
