“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returned to the airways on September 23. This came after the beloved host faced a multiday suspension due to his remarks on the killing of Charlie Kirk. Now, Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa have weighed in on “LIVE with Kelly and Mark” and made a statement about free speech.
According to Page Six, “Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show last night. We know him personally,” Consuelos said for himself and Ripa. He continued, “When I tell you heâs one of the kindest, most generous people that I know ⦠He really, really cares. Cares about his family, takes care of his crew, his staff, everybody.”
The actor went on to discuss Kimmel’s statement following his return and also highlighted the importance of “free speech.”
Consuelos continued, “He understood both sides; he was very humble in his speech. One thing we can all agree on as a country is that the First Amendment is very important.”
Consuelos and Ripa Don’t Typically Discuss Politics
The host then discussed their show and how weighing in on such a political event is rare for them. According to him, “We do a light show here. We donât talk about any politics here, we just donât do it. We know that our fans at home want an escape from all of that, and we agree â we want an escape from all of that.”
He added, “But I think itâs important, too, that we all are free because you never know â we can say something crazy and tomorrow weâre gone.â Ripa then chimmed in, remarking that she says “crazy things” quite often despite being “non-controversial.”
She then said, “We are like melted ice cream, but even we are constantly in a position where we are checking what weâre about to say in our heads because weâve come to this inflection point where no matter what you say, somebody is upset.”
Ripa added, “I think everybody needs to take a step back and really think. I have a right to speak, and you have a right to say horrible things about me on Instagram. Thatâs the pleasure about living in a free society. That is important.”
Kimmel’s Return Has Been Applauded by Many
Kimmel received considerable support amid his suspension. Now that he’s back, Consuelos and Ripa aren’t the only ones coming to his defense as he has been trending online. He said during his comeback monologue, “I want to thank the people who donât support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway.”
He continued, “It was never my 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.”
Kimmel also stated that he was “touched” by Kirk’s widow’s comments at his memorial service about forgiveness. So far, the version of his monologue published on YouTube has garnered over 14 million views, making it one of the channel’s most popular videos.
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