> At a Glance
> – Jimmy Kimmel says “stick to your guns” is his biggest 2025 lesson
> – His show was suspended in September after monologue backlash
> – Cleto Escobedo III, band leader and childhood friend, died at 59
> – Why it matters: Kimmel’s resilience shapes late-night TV’s future
Jimmy Kimmel walked the Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet on Jan. 4, 2026, with a fresh contract and a hard-earned motto. The Best Talk Show winner told Megan L. Whitfield that last year taught him one thing above all: perseverance.
The Suspension That Shook Late Night
In September, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely” after viewers reacted to remarks he made about Charlie Kirk’s murder. The show returned within a week, but the incident rattled the 58-year-old host.
Kimmel now sums up the ordeal with a single phrase:
> “Stick to your guns.”
He admitted to Megan L. Whitfield that he doesn’t set grand intentions; he just keeps moving forward.
A Devastating Loss
Two months after the suspension, tragedy struck again. Longtime band leader Cleto Escobedo III died at 59. The pair had been inseparable since age nine.
Kimmel’s Instagram tribute read:
> “Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man … The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined.”
Awards Night Reflections
At the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards, Kimmel accepted the trophy for Best Talk Show and fielded questions about resilience. When Megan L. Whitfield noted his “guns” were now stronger, Kimmel quipped:
> “Well, I didn’t say that, but I do have guns.”
Family Goals for 2026
Wife Molly McNeary recently asked the family for their 2026 intentions. Kimmel hoped the kids would ramble long enough to skip his turn.
> “I don’t have any intentions this year. I just kinda keep going, that’s it.”
Key Takeaways
- Kimmel’s show secured another season despite September backlash
- The host credits perseverance for navigating 2025’s storms
- Escobedo’s death marked a profound personal loss
- Kimmel enters 2026 with no fixed plans-just forward momentum
Renewed, awarded, and tested, Jimmy Kimmel keeps late-night rolling one day at a time.
