Jimmy Kimmel closed out his last show before 2026 with a tearful thanks and blunt reflections about a rough year, calling parts of American life baffling and even describing the moment as an “extended psychotic episode.” He admitted the show has struggled at times and thanked viewers for keeping them afloat, while also facing fallout after controversial remarks tied to the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk that led to a network suspension.
Jimmy Kimmel opened his final episode of the year by telling viewers, “It has been a hard year. We’ve had some lows. We’ve had some highs — for me, maybe more than any year of my life, but all of us — I’m crying already, sorry. But on behalf of all of us here at our show, I just want to say that we appreciate your support, your enthusiasm, and not just for watching,” Kimmel said. “This year you literally pulled us out of a hole, and we cannot thank you enough personally, professionally. . . .”
He didn’t sugarcoat how the job feels day to day, admitting that even a well-paid talk show gig can wear on you. He complained that “this isn’t an easy job to do” and at times it “feels like we’re spinning our wheels,” a candid line that came across as both weary and frustrated.
Kimmel wrestled with what he sees around him, saying, “You see so many awful and destructive acts, all this damage we inflict on ourselves on purpose, and it can make you feel crazy trying to wrap your head around these things that are so clearly wrong.” That comment framed much of his emotional tone, as he compared the ideals he learned growing up to the messy reality he sees on TV and in the news now.
“You don’t know what the American way even is anymore,” he added, trying to name the disorientation he feels about the country’s values. He told his audience they helped keep the show alive during a tough stretch, and he asked viewers to stick with them even when the work felt pointless.
Kimmel also said that people, including viewers, “friends and colleagues,” on other shows, say his show “makes them feel less crazy, it makes me feel less crazy, too.” He then took a jab at the prior administration, describing America as experiencing an “extended psychotic episode.”
The prickly year wasn’t only emotional — it had consequences. ABC suspended Kimmel’s show for five days after remarks he made following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a decision that landed him at the center of a controversy and drew pressure from Washington.
The piece of fallout included a public statement from a broadcasting executive criticizing Kimmel’s comments. “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” the president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, Andrew Alford, said. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
The article also notes that the network faced pressure from the FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, a detail that underscores how broadcast controversies can quickly escalate into regulatory headaches. For a high-profile host who frames much of his identity around being the voice of mainstream late-night, that kind of attention translates into real-world consequences.
Kimmel’s emotional exit and the suspension reveal the tensions at play when opinionated hosts mix comedy, commentary, and culture. Viewers saw a man who felt battered by events and eager to thank his base, while critics saw a performer who crossed a line and required a disciplinary response from his network and affiliate owners.
Whether you think his remarks were a misstep or an honest moment of exhaustion, the end-of-year episode made clear that Kimmel’s year was messy in more than one way. The host tried to balance gratitude and defensiveness, but the controversy and the suspension will likely linger into the next season of his show.
