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Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night show on Tuesday night after a suspension amid pressure by the Trump administration and a furor over Kimmel’s remarks about the killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel delivered an opening monologue – occasionally choking up – that ranged across everything from jokes to the importance of the First Amendment.

Here’s what Kimmel said.

“Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted, if you’re just joining us, we’re preempting your regularly scheduled encore episode of ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ to bring you this special report. I’m happy to be here tonight with you. Please be seated. I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours: me or the CEO of Tylenol. It’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days. Anyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times. Weird characters from my past, or the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle, where we are not airing tonight by the way! Sorry, Seattle. His name is Larry.”

“In 1989, Larry tried to force me to do a bit called ‘Jokes for donuts’ where people would call in with a joke and I would give them donuts. I refused to do it and then I made a lot of fun of Larry for suggesting it, and eventually Larry fired me and I had to move back in with my parents. But even he wrote in to cheer me up. Thank you, Larry.”

“And I want to thank everyone who checked in. It would take all week to list all of them, but some that I do especially want to mention are my fellow late night talk show hosts: my friend Stephen Colbert, who found himself in this predicament, my friends Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Arsenio, Kathy, Wanda, Chelsea. Even Jay reached out.”

“I heard from late night hosts in other countries, from Ireland and from Germany. The guy in Germany offered me a job. Can you imagine?

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