Featured Image Credit: Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images
Topics: Jimmy Kimmel, US News, News, Politics, Donald Trump, Celebrity, TV And Film
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Jimmy Kimmel, US News, News, Politics, Donald Trump, Celebrity, TV And Film
Jimmy Kimmel has made his feelings about Donald Trump crystal clear in a new comeback statement.
For those who aren't in the know regarding the ordeal, the TV talk show was pulled by ABC in response to comments he presenter made last week in response to Charlie Kirk's death - despite Kimmel initially condemning the attack and sending 'love' to Kirk's family following the shooting - in which he said that 'the MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it' on the 15 September viewing.
Following this, Trump also suggested that if any TV networks only give him bad press personally, 'maybe their licence should be taken away'.
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Since then, the decision to pull Kimmel's show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has become a huge talking point in the US and throughout the world, sparking intense backlash from the Hollywood community and free speech advocates and prompting boycotts and protests.
On Monday (22 September), mere hours before Disney announced Kimmel’s return, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released an open letter signed by over 400 Hollywood A-listers condemning Disney’s decision as 'a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation'. Signees included Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, and Robert De Niro.
Following the outcry, ABC announced that it would reinstate the show on Tuesday night (23 September).
In his return, Kimmel called government threats to silence comedians 'anti-American', adding: "This 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."
He continued: "I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human, and that is, 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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"Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what – it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way."
Elsewhere in the monologue, Kimmel said Trump 'did his best to cancel me' but that 'instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show'.
He added: "The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke."
Kimmel closed his monologue by reflecting on remarks made by Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, at his memorial service, which took place over the weekend (21 September).
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"Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband," Kimmel said. "That is an example we should follow."
"It touched me deeply," he added. "And if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that, not this."
It didn't take long for Trump to take aim at Kimmel following the broadcast, as he leapt to Truth Social to criticise ABC for allowing the comedian’s show back on air with his signature 'fake news' slamming.
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"I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back," Trump wrote on Tuesday night. "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."
"I think we’re going to test ABC out on this," he added.
The Republican, seemingly referring to the settlement he reached with ABC News last year in a defamation lawsuit he filed against the network, went on: "Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative."
While the show returned to ABC on Tuesday, two major affiliate groups - Sinclair and Nexstar - continued to block it from airing on their local stations.
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Sinclair demanded Kimmel apologise to Kirk’s family and donate to Turning Point USA before allowing the show back on its stations while Nexstar said it would keep pre-empting the show until there was a clear commitment to 'respectful, constructive dialogue'.
As a result, Jimmy Kimmel Live! did not air on nearly 25 percent of ABC affiliate stations, though it remains available on Hulu and Disney+.