ABC, CBS, and NBC were exuberant on their lead Wednesday morning news shows over far-left late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s “triumphant” return late Tuesday to ABC after his six-day suspension, radiating joy for Kimmel’s “emotional,” “heartfelt,” and “passionate” monologue that doubled as a “searing defense of free speech.”

All those pathetic adjectives were leveled despite the fact that Kimmel’s lengthy monologue never included an apology for his September 15 smears of the late Charlie Kirk, Make America Great Again supporters, and President Trump.

Starting with Kimmel’s own network, ABC’s Good Morning America was steadfast in its love. Leave it to co-host and former Clinton flack George Stephanopoulos to sing Kimmel’s praises. Correspondent Trevor Ault picked up the baton with a hack-tastic defense of Kimmel by arguing “he never meant to make light of Charlie Kirk’s death”:

“Kimmel’s show was suspended amid apparent threats from the Trump administration, following the host’s comments last Monday about the ideology of the alleged shooter in Charlie Kirk’s murder. An emotional Kimmel now clarifying his remarks,” Ault added ahead of a lengthy soundbite.

Ault also touted Kimmel “pras[ing] Kirk’s widow” and “telling jokes, taking a jab at President Trump.”

As we’ll see with CBS and NBC, Ault spent the rest of his piece citing Trump’s disgust with Kimmel’s return, Kimmel wrapping himself in the First Amendment, and how dozens of ABC affiliates didn’t air the show.

“And Kimmel said this situation is much bigger than him. He said his show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this,” Ault concluded, to which co-host Robin Roberts swooned “that is the point.”

On NBC’s Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie also used the “emotional” description in the teases: “On the air, Jimmy Kimmel makes his emotional return to late night...making his first comments on the statements that led to his suspension while defending his right to free speech.”

Guthrie doubled down on the e-word, giving away to correspondent Liz Kreutz fawning over the “heartfelt monologue where he addressed those comments that he made about Charlie Kirk’s alleged shooter”:

Kreutz had more adulation for Kimmel’s “searing defense of free speech”:

Having made his friends happy, one could presume Kimmel would declare last night mission accomplished?

The rest included more clips, President Trump’s Truth Social post from Tuesday night about the return, reaction from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, and the fact that Jimmy Kimmel Live! did not air on ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar and Sinclair.

Kreutz later concluded in part by giving color from inside the taping: “Now audience numbers inside the taping told us Kimmel’s wife and parents were there inside, that his mother at times got emotional and was tearing up during his comments.”

On the 3rd Hour of Today, co-host Craig Melvin said Kimmel “seemed genuinely apologetic. Genuinely apologetic and I thought some of the concerns he raised about free speech were legitimate but he seemed legitimately sorry.”

“Forgiveness will be our theme,” replied co-host Sheinelle Jones.

Going lastly to CBS Mornings, co-host and Democrat donor Gayle King declared ahead of the “Eye Opener” that Kimmel delivered a “heartfelt monologue,” adding afterward “we’re glad to see” him return. At least she admitted “Kimmel did not apologize” in this otherwise soapy lead-in:

Correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti trumpeted outside Kimmel’s studio that the “triumphant” return Tuesday night “was emotional,” “passionate,” and “a tribute to free speech.” Vigliotti also characterized Kimmel’s smear of Kirk, MAGA, and President Trump as merely “comment...about the assassination”:

He also received backing from Kevin Frazier, host of another Paramount Skydance-owned show, Entertainment Tonight: “[Kimmel] really came out tonight and set a tone that was respectful, a little apologetic, but as irreverent as ever because that’s who Kimmel is...He was tested not only by the network, by the affiliates, but also people in this country who were questioning him. And he stood two feet deep in the sand and said, ‘Here I am.’”

To see the relevant transcripts from September 24, click here (for ABC), here (for CBS), and here (for NBC).