Jimmy Kimmel described the past year as "almost a near-death experience" following his Best Talk Show win for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 4.

The late-night host reflected on a tumultuous period that included a six-day suspension in September after remarks he made about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's death.

"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," Kimmel said after the incident, per People.

Returning to the air on Sept. 23, 2025, Kimmel has faced continued criticism from President Donald Trump, who repeatedly called for the show to be canceled. Despite the challenges, the host said he felt deeply supported.

"To be here and to see that people reacted to it 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 told reporters.

Support from the Team and the Industry

In his Critics Choice acceptance speech, Kimmel praised the writers, producers, and union members who stood by the show.

"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 said, according to Page Six.

Kimmel also acknowledged Trump in a humorous nod. "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. 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," he joked.

Facing Political Pressure and Viewer Support

On Christmas Day, Kimmel revisited the controversy during his "Alternative Christmas Message" on Channel 4.

He explained per Variety, that the temporary shutdown occurred after a threat from the American government, "The American government made a threat against me, and the company I work for, and all of a sudden, we were off the air."

He credited viewers for helping the show bounce back: "We won, the President lost and now I'm back on the air every night giving the most powerful politician on earth a right and richly deserved bollocking."

The host also playfully teased fellow nominees, including "The Daily Show," "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," who he claimed "did not care enough" to attend the awards.

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Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy kimmel live