Jimmy Kimmel returns to Brooklyn to film at BAM

Self-described ‘young tough from Mill Basin’ records his show this week in Brooklyn

 Jimmy Kimmel, a self-described “young tough from Mill Basin,” is filming his late-night show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House Monday through Friday.

The show was suspended by Disney and ABC following comments Kimmel made about Charlie Kirk’s assassination during a monologue. 

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the [Make America Great Again] gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on Sept. 15.

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Following the suspension, two of ABC’s affiliate owners, Nexstar and Sinclair, pulled the show from their stations and played re-runs of other programs and the news.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Federal Communications Commission Chair David Carr said on a podcast before the suspension. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

After days of conversations between Disney officials and Kimmel and discussions over free speech, the show resumed production where Kimmel addressed the comments and suspension on Tuesday.

“I’ve been hearing a lot about what I need to say and do tonight,” Kimmel said during his first show back. “And the truth is, I don’t think what I have to say is going to make much of a difference. If you like me, you like me. If you don’t, you don’t. I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind. But I do want to make something clear because it’s important to me as a human: you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”

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“I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it and I still do,” Kimmel continued. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”

When President Donald Trump heard the news that the show would return, he posted his disappointment about the decision on Truth Social.

“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote. “The White House was told by ABC that his show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is gone and his ‘talent’ was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny and who puts the network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat garbage? He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major illegal campaign contribution.”

Trump continued, “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad ratings.”

Kimmel, who was born in Mill Basin, also discussed the take on free speech.

“This show is not important,” Kimmel said. “What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and spend time with comedians and talk show hosts from countries like Russia, countries in the Middle East who tell me they would get thrown in prison for making fun of those in power and worse than being thrown in prison. They know how lucky we are here. Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country.”

Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group decided to bring the show back to their local TV stations on Friday.

Guests for this week in Brooklyn will include Ryan Reynolds, Public Enemy, Stephen Colbert, Kumail Nanjiani, Reneé Rapp, Emily Blunt, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Geese, Jeremy Allen White, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks and Spike Lee.

Production has been held at the borough for one week for years. He first produced episodes in Brooklyn in 2012, and the guests then were Howard Stern and Tracy Morgan.

“This young tough from Mill Basin would like you to know that #KimmelinBrooklyn starts tonight! #Brooklyn 1970 & 1977,” he wrote on Instagram, posting photos of him as a child in the borough.