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TORONTO — Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television Tuesday with some supportive words for musical guest Sarah McLachlan.
The host and comedian welcomed the Halifax-born performer on his first show back since ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last week, a move that stoked widespread criticism and debate over free speech.
In teeing up her performance, Kimmel said McLachlan was “a very talented and, dare I say, valiant singer and songwriter.”
Over the weekend, McLachlan cancelled plans for a mini Lilith Fair musical reunion at the Los Angeles premiere of her documentary about the all-female music festival.
Available on CBC Gem in Canada, “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,” is distributed in the United States by Hulu, a streaming service which, like ABC, is owned by Disney.
McLachlan told the audience her decision not to perform was a gesture of solidarity to call attention to the “muzzling of free speech” in the United States.
While McLachlan didn’t talk with Kimmel as part of his late-night return, she performed “Better Broken,” the title track off her 10th studio album, released earlier this month.
Representatives for the singer noted that she was already slated to appear on the show to promote her album before Kimmel became embroiled in controversy.
Kimmel was abruptly pulled from the airwaves by ABC last week over comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The decision triggered a widespread discussion about freedom of speech and U.S. President Donald Trump’s ability to police the words of journalists and comics.
Choking up as he delivered his opening monologue, Kimmel said it was never his intention to “make light of the murder of a young man.”
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what…was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make,” he continued.
Kimmel said he understood his remarks last week to some “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
He thanked the people who supported him, and even people who don’t like him, who stood up for his right to speak, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
“It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration,” he said. “They did, and they deserve credit for it.”
In Canada, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is simulcast on Citytv, which filled his empty time slot with episodes of “Hudson & Rex” and “Impractical Jokers” over the past week.
But two groups of ABC affiliates in the United States that denounced Kimmel’s comments did not air his return.
Nexstar Media Group said its suspension of the show continues, “pending assurances that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
Producers at “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” created a workaround, of sorts, by immediately posting the first 28 minutes of the episode on YouTube, which included some barbed remarks by Kimmel aimed at Trump. The clip had amassed about 11 million views by midday on Wednesday.
While McLachlan has long been a free speech advocate, her connections to the Kimmel controversy were almost entirely coincidental.
At the Sunday doc premiere, she did not directly reference the Kimmel controversy or the documentary’s connections to Disney but told the audience that she was concerned about the continued erosion of people’s rights.
“Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery” revisits the legacy of Lilith Fair and the criticism and threats McLachlan faced over the event’s pro-choice stance on abortion.
“It’s a perfect time to remind women that if we stand up and work together, we can create change,” she told The Canadian Press last month of the film.
“Because there’s this purposeful division happening to … keep people afraid and quiet so that the powers that be can do whatever they want.”
— with files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2025.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
