The social media accounts for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” continued posting updates and highlights from tonight’s episode on social media after the episode aired on the East Coast.

Among the posts: An image of Kimmel walking down the hallway backstage. “ON AIR” the caption read.

The show will air on the West Coast at 11:35 p.m. PT.

Reporting from Los Angeles

It seemed like an impossible task, but on Tuesday Kimmel delivered a monologue that served his audience and talked straight about his bosses at Disney and ABC while holding the government’s feet to the fire over incursions on free speech.

Here’s how he did it.

• He spoke from his heart and reached out directly to people who may have been hurt by his comments about Charlie Kirk. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking as he spoke about the killing of the conservative commentator. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group. For those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset.”
• He balanced his show’s signature humor — first appearing on screen dressed as a bear beside his sidekick Guillermo dressed as a banana— with remarks that addressed the seriousness of the controversy that has engulfed Disney and ABC for the past week. “This show is not important,” he said. “What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
• He directly tackled the tensions with his bosses at Disney, admitting that he was “not happy when they pulled me off the air on Wednesday. I did not agree with that decision, and I told them that.” But he also showed that he understands what the company is up against, noting that in welcoming him back. “Unfortunately and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk,” he said. He acknowledged that, “We’re suddenly not being broadcast in 20% of the country.”
• He avoided delivering a partisan screed, instead thanking some of the surprising allies who have spoken out against his suspension, including right-wing figures like Ben Shapiro, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rand Paul, R–Ky.,  and “those in the middle, like Joe Rogan.” “Maybe the silver lining from this is we found one thing we can agree on,” Kimmel said. “Let’s stop letting these politicians tell us what they want and tell them what we want.”
• He made us laugh. At the end of the day, Kimmel’s is a comedy show, and he delivered self-aware satire in a moment of seriousness, playing a clip of Trump mocking his low ratings. “He had no ratings,” Trump said,” in the clip. “I do tonight,” Kimmel responded.

Kimmel joked that sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez called him when the show was pulled and “offered to sell his Labubus.”

Rodriguez said the world “needs more people like Jimmy Kimmel.”

“He’s a great man, a great father,” he said. “Thank you, Jimmy. I love you, and I stand with you all the way.”

The two then hugged.