Jimmy Kimmel‘s sidekick, Guillermo Rodriguez, has broken his silence about their return to air on Tuesday.
Rodriguez shared a photo of himself on Instagram hugging his Jimmy Kimmel Live! costar.
“We are back full of love,” he captioned the post.
Why It Matters
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on ABC tonight, less than a week after the network announced it was suspending the show indefinitely. That move was in reaction to remarks made by the late-night host about Charlie Kirk during his monologue last Monday, just a few days after the conservative activist was shot dead in Utah.
ABC’s decision prompted backlash over a perceived overstepping of FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Kimmel Breaks Silence on Social Media
Rodriguez’s post came just hours after Kimmel posted on his social media for the first time since the suspension was announced on Wednesday.
The pair have been working together for many years, with Rodriguez starting as a parking lot security guard at the studio in 2003. After minor appearances on Kimmel’s show in the early years, he has become a permanent fixture as the show’s “security guard.”
What Time Is Jimmy Kimmel Back on Tonight?
Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns to the ABC network on Tuesday night at 11:35 p.m. ET.
Some affiliates, namely those owned by Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group, will not run the show for the foreseeable future.
Jimmy Kimmel Is Returning to Late Night. Who Is His First Guest?
ABC has announced that actor Glen Powell will be Kimmel’s first guest on his return show, with musical guest Sarah McLachlan
The Jimmy Kimmel Controversy Explained
In criticizing how some Republicans reacted to Charlie Kirk’s death, Kimmel alleged last Monday that conservatives were using Kirk’s assassination for political advantage rather than mourning the conservative activist sincerely.
President Donald Trump said Kimmel had said “a horrible thing” about Kirk, while FCC Chair Brendan Carr said ABC could handle things the easy way or the hard way. It was shortly after these comments that the show was pulled.
While Trump praised ABC‘s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air, many across the political spectrum raised concerns about First Amendment rights and questioned whether the federal government should be dictating what could and could not be said by media personalities.
What People Are Saying
Fellow late-night host Seth Meyers, on his NBC show Monday night: “It is possible to stand up to this kind of bullying and censorship. For example, Trump tried to sue the New York Times and that suit has already been thrown out. And minutes before we started taping, we got word that our friend Jimmy Kimmel will be back on the air tomorrow.”
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, Monday on X: “‘Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that.’ Looking forward to seeing Jimmy back on the air.”
Nexstar, in its announcement on keeping Jimmy Kimmel Live! off its ABC stations Tuesday: “We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve. In the meantime, we note that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”
What Happens Next
Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns Tuesday night on ABC.
Update 9/23/25, 5:01 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.