Jimmy Kimmel finally cracked as he finished his final broadcast of 2025 — and looked back on the trauma of President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to get him canceled.
“This has been a strange year. It’s been a hard year,” Kimmel said. “We’ve had some lows, we’ve had some highs. For me, maybe more than any year of my life.”
Kimmel became visibly emotional during the monologue, telling viewers: “I just want to say that we appreciate your support, your enthusiasm, and not just for watching. This year, you literally pulled us out of a hole, and we cannot thank you enough personally.”
The “hole” Kimmel referenced was ABC’s suspension of his show in September 2025, following remarks he made regarding Charlie Kirk. The suspension followed threats from Donald Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to revoke ABC’s license over Kimmel’s material. Massive viewer outrage prompted the network to reinstate the show the following week.
The year brought multiple personal and professional challenges. In January, Kimmel tearfully commented on devastating wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area. In November, he delivered an emotional tribute to his best friend and show band leader Cleto Escobedo III, who died from liver transplant complications.
Kimmel said that part of what made the year difficult was the “many awful and destructive acts” occurring throughout the United States. He emphasized the importance of his show and similar programs in helping viewers cope.
“When I hear from people who tell me that they watch our show, and the shows that my friends and colleagues do on the other channels, and that it makes them feel less crazy, it makes me feel less crazy too,” Kimmel said.
Addressing international viewers, Kimmel stated: “There is still much more good in this country than bad, and we hope that you will bear with us during this extended psychotic episode that we’re in the middle of.”
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