Andrew Kolvet, Executive Producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” says Kimmel’s monologue lacked “contrition” and failed to “own” his actions.
Andrew Kolvet, the executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” and spokesperson for Turning Point USA, appeared on FOX News Channel’s America’s Newsroom today to react to Jimmy Kimmel’s recent monologue addressing his prior comments. Kolvet expressed strong dissatisfaction with Kimmel’s remarks, stating that the late-night host’s emotional address was a performance lacking a genuine apology.
During the interview with host Bill Hemmer, Kolvet contended that Kimmel was “under the gun for the last couple of days” and that his televised response was a result of that pressure, not authentic remorse. “Where was the ‘I’m sorry?’ Where was the contrition?” Kolvet asked, arguing that Kimmel’s words were “parsed” and “defiant.”
Kolvet’s comments come after Kimmel addressed his earlier remarks about the passing of Charlie Kirk, which some interpreted as an attempt to tie the tragedy to a specific political group.
In his monologue, Kimmel said it was “never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man” and stated he did not intend to “blame any specific group.” He also praised the grace and forgiveness shown by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow.
However, Kolvet found Kimmel’s monologue insufficient. “All he had to do was say, simply: I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, I will do better,” Kolvet said. “Instead, he was defiant. He parsed his words. He tried to thread a needle and play both sides. And that’s not how we get healing in this country.”
Kolvet drew a sharp distinction between Erika Kirk’s act of forgiveness and what he believes Kimmel should have done. “Erika Kirk was the aggrieved party, and she didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “Jimmy Kimmel did something wrong, and he’s still not owning it. And that’s the difference.”
Kolvet insisted that owning the mistake is crucial for accountability and national healing. “It matters,” he said, “because what it says is, what I did was not OK, what happened was not OK, and please forgive me. And that’s what we need.”
The interview also touched on the massive surge in interest for Turning Point USA since the passing of Charlie Kirk, with Kolvet revealing that inquiries for new chapters have more than doubled. Kolvet assured viewers that the organization is in “good hands” with Erika Kirk, describing her as a “born leader” who is rising to the occasion to fulfill her late husband’s vision of having a chapter on every campus in America.
READ: CNN’s Michael Smerconish Lauds Erika Kirk’s Powerful Memorial Speech
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
