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Conan O'Brien, Zach Galifianakis say it's a 'misconception' that comedy shows only target conservatives

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:45:21 -0400

There may never be a less self-aware conversation than the one recently had between comedians Conan O’Brien and Zach Galifianakis.

It’s no secret that many comedy shows and the entertainment industry at large have one specific demographic they prefer to make fun of: the political right. The sheer number of supposedly "funny" shows based on that preference, from "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," to "Late Night with Seth Meyers," to "The Daily Show," or "Saturday Night Live!" and "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," is staggering.

That’s just a small sample of how many left-wing comics have made politics the center of their shows. And they have just one target for the vast majority of their jokes: the right and more specifically, President Donald Trump.

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Criticizing or joking about Trump has become an entire career for several ostensible "comedians." But if you ask Conan O’Brien and Zach Galianakis, the "media" doesn’t want to just make fun of conservatives.

Seriously.

Zach Galifianakis, Conan O’Brien take turns patting themselves on the back

When discussing Galifianakis’ show "Between Two Ferns," O’Brien brought up his interviews with prominent politicians like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They both agreed that those interviews showed how comedians are supposed to handle politicians, by making them uncomfortable and poking fun at their vulnerabilities.

"Podcasters that have had the president on now, they don’t do their court jester…they don’t do it. They just suck up to him," Galifianakis said. "So the comedians that are podcasters that have had Trump on, they’re not doing their job.

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"That’s not the job of a comedian, you are to challenge, you are to make uncomfortable. You are not to sit there and fake laugh, that is not the job of the court jester. Period."

He continued by saying he’s more interested in putting comedy above politics.

"People were actually, somebody yesterday was talking to me about that, about political influence through comedy and all that stuff. I’m more interested in the comedy first…"

"Me too," O’Brien echoed.

Galifianakis referenced his Hillary Clinton interview on "Between Two Ferns," saying that when they set it up, Clinton’s camp told him he couldn’t bring up her email scandal. He told them they didn’t need to do the interview then, and they folded. O’Brien connected that exchange to politicians or powerful people needing to laugh at themselves to become more relatable.

"I see this all the time, and I’ve seen it for years and years and years and years, people not understanding that if they go to the supposedly vulnerable place, and have a sense of humor about it, it is magical for them," he said.

"People see they have a sense of humor, they see that they can take a joke. I mean, nobody walked away from your interview with Obama and thought, ‘wow you really showed him.’ He got to be hilarious, he sat there and entered your world of being intentionally ignorant about who he is and what he does, cutting him off, being insanely rude, and gave it back to you in equal measure. This is a great piece of comedy, and I know it reflects well back on the president."

Then, O’Brien related that to Trump, saying that it would be "humanizing" for him to be the target of a joke.

"And our current president, would do well to understand that, to understand that if he let himself be the butt of a joke, it’s humanizing."

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"It’s impossible," Galifianakis shot back. "You wouldn’t do it with him, it wouldn’t work."

"There’s this misconception that the media just wants to go after conservatives," O’Brien said. "And they don’t understand that everyone benefits when they laugh at themselves. Everyone wins. If you laugh at yourself, it humanizes you."

Comedians can't accept what they've become

All of this is completely ridiculous.

Of course the media just wants to go after conservatives, it’s all they’ve done for years, if not decades. It’s an absurd denial of reality to suggest otherwise. Galifianakis himself told the Los Angeles Times in 2016 that he had no interest in hosting Trump on "Between Two Ferns" because he’s "mentally challenged."

"No. That doesn’t interest me," he explained. "He’s the kind of guy who likes attention — bad attention or good attention. So you’re dealing with a psychosis there that’s a little weird. I wouldn’t have somebody on that’s so mentally challenged. I feel like I’d be taking advantage of him. And you can print that."

Ah. So Trump is supposed to humanize himself and become the butt of a joke on a show he’s not allowed to participate in.

Galifianakis also said he puts comedy before politics, but was so politically motivated that he had no interest in interviewing Trump. Then there’s Jimmy Kimmel, who recently described Melania Trump as having the "glow of an expectant widow." Is that the type of joke that’s supposed to encourage the president to come on and laugh at himself? That’s just one example, obviously there are many, even worse examples. Not to mention that Trump has appeared on "Saturday Night Live!" several times. He does have a sense of humor, a much better one than Obama or Hillary Clinton, for that matter. That’s not the issue. The issue is that none of these comedians are telling jokes, they’re giving lectures.

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Additionally, Colbert, Kimmel and the rest of them almost exclusively have Democrats on for interviews. Republicans are not invited to participate, because those shows want to prioritize a specific political ideology. But they don’t just want to target conservatives, right?

What a huge surprise that just a few weeks ago, Galifianakis was laughing and palling around with Kimmel on his show.

And of course, those same "comedians," who had an easy comedic target over the past month, have instead gone curiously quiet. The Eric Swalwell scandal could have provided weeks' worth of material. Just this week, CNN reported that he held meetings at Hooters. Sounds like a perfect setup for a joke, right? You’ll never guess how many jokes Kimmel told about it, but it rhymes with zero. Galifianakis and O’Brien ignore that missed opportunity, while saying comedy is supposed to make powerful people uncomfortable. Just not powerful people who are on the political left.

Kimmel in particular, was remarkably hypocritical, telling Michelle Obama in a recent podcast interview that it would be shameful to ignore political stories…then ignored one that made him, his party and his friend look bad.

Galifianakis and O’Brien are simply incapable of admitting their own biases and admitting that they would never joke about Obama or Clinton the way they would about Trump. Or treat them similarly. They would never joke about Kamala Harris in the same way they would about Trump. That’s because they’re Democrats first and comedians second, no matter how hard they try to pretend otherwise.

Daniel Baldwin accuses Jimmy Kimmel of fueling 'hatred' toward Trump after White House dinner shooting

Mon, 04 May 2026 20:00:16 -0400

Actor Daniel Baldwin criticized Jimmy Kimmel’s political rhetoric after the latest assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, accusing the late-night host of "planting this kind of hatred."

In a clip from the May 3 episode of "The Daniel Baldwin Show," first picked up by Breitbart on Monday, Baldwin said he was saddened by the reaction to the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner last month, where authorities say a gunman targeted Trump and members of his administration.

Baldwin used the attack to criticize anti-Trump attitudes in Hollywood and Kimmel’s repeated criticism of the president, arguing that even in an entertainment culture long hostile to Republicans, he has never seen public figures talk so casually about political violence.

"I remember being on movie sets with big name people, Oscar winner, high-paid talent," Baldwin said. "And they would just be s---ing on some politician or person, like, ‘Yeah, someone should get him.’ ‘Someone should shoot him,’ once someone said in front of me. And I thought, ‘Wow, your voice carries weight. You know, your words have followers and people.’"

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He then questioned whether Kimmel’s late-night commentary could fuel hatred toward Trump.

"Does Jimmy Kimmel not realize that when you keep bombarding in every one of your monologues and planting this kind of hatred in the American public or the people that follow you, someone might act on that?" Baldwin asked.

"Now, does that exonerate Kimmel of any wrongdoing? Yeah, he didn’t do it, but did he play a role in it? Does he care that he played a role? Is that the point? Does he do it because he wants that to happen? I don’t know the answer to those questions, but I’m sad, man," he added.

Baldwin contrasted today’s climate with Hollywood’s response to the 1981 assassination attempt against President Ronald Reagan, referencing a resurfaced clip of Johnny Carson addressing the delayed Academy Awards after Reagan was shot.

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"We never hated anyone. We never wanted someone to die or laughed about them dying. It’s really disturbing to me," Baldwin said.

Baldwin, the second-oldest of the four Baldwin brothers and became a conservative in 2016, said the hostility he now sees from some in the entertainment industry has changed how he feels about his own profession.

"I used to be proud to say I was an actor," Baldwin said. "You walk into a room now and say, yeah, I’m an actor. I’m a movie actor and television actor... It’s not something I’m as proud to say or is it as big a deal because of the hatred that comes out from that side."

RESURFACED CLIP OF JOHNNY CARSON'S GRACE AFTER REAGAN SHOOTING CONTRASTS WITH KIMMEL

Kimmel has faced criticism after joking days before the shooting that first lady Melania Trump had the glow of an "expectant widow" during a mock White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner skit.

The joke prompted the president and first lady to call for his firing. Kimmel later said the line was "a very light roast joke" about Trump’s age, not a call to violence.

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"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination," Kimmel said.

Last year, Kimmel was briefly suspended by Disney after controversial remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage, and ABC said the show would be preempted indefinitely. He returned to the air days later and insisted he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death.

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ABC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.

Jimmy Kimmel joked about Rudy Giuliani rising from the 'grave' days before his hospitalization

Mon, 04 May 2026 11:57:27 -0400

ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel joked about Rudy Giuliani rising from the "grave" days before the former New York City mayor was hospitalized in critical condition.

The Giuliani bit came on the heels of an ongoing spat between Kimmel and the White House after the ABC host referred to first lady Melania Trump as "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.

President Donald Trump and the first lady have both called for ABC to act, but Kimmel insists he was simply poking fun at their age gap and not referencing assassination.

On Tuesday, Kimmel was discussing the situation when he managed to tell another poorly-aged joke.

"So, last night, America’s mayor, Rudy Giuliani, rose from the grave to weigh in on the ongoing drama involving me," Kimmel said in a monologue before playing video of Giuliani calling him "distasteful" over the "expectant widow" controversy.

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"I have to say, it hurts to be called distasteful by a man who farted his own pants off in front of Borat’s daughter," Kimmel said.

Kimmel continued to mock Giuliani, asking, "Does this man have any family members who can come get him already?"

The bit resurfaced online only five days later when political strategist Ted Goodman announced Giuliani was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

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"Mayor Rudy Giuliani is currently in the hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition," Goodman wrote on social media. "Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he's fighting with that same level of strength as we speak. We do ask that you join us in prayer for America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani."

ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Many conservatives and White House officials have called for ABC to fire Kimmel over the "expectant widow" joke, while others have suggested the quip was inappropriate but don’t believe the government should intervene.

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After learning of the Giuliani news, Trump called him the "Best Mayor" in New York City’s history.

"Our fabulous Rudy Giuliani, a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR, has been hospitalized, and is in critical condition. What a tragedy that he was treated so badly by the Radical Left Lunatics, Democrats ALL — AND HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "They cheated on the Elections, fabricated hundreds of stories, did anything possible to destroy our Nation, and now, look at Rudy. So sad!"

Fox News Digital reached out to Rudy Giuliani's office for comment.

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Melania Trump advisor turns up the heat on Kimmel after ‘expectant widow’ fallout

Mon, 04 May 2026 07:35:10 -0400

First lady Melania Trump’s senior advisor Marc Beckman is calling on advertisers of late night host Jimmy Kimmel to boycott the show in the wake of his "expectant widow" joke aimed at the first lady.

"Why would ABC stand behind that? That's the question. Furthermore, not just for the ABC brand, but why do the advertisers for Kimmel's show stick with him," said Marc Beckman. "It's kind of strange."

The first lady called out Kimmel for "hateful and violent rhetoric" after he made a White House Correspondents' Association Dinner parody, calling her "an expectant widow" days prior to the assassination attempt. Kimmel has defended his skit, saying it was a joke about age difference and not a call for an assassination.

Beckman said while the first lady was selective with her words, "Kimmel should be fired. ABC should terminate his employment."

KAROLINE LEAVITT SAYS OBAMA 'HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT' AFTER KIMMEL COMMENTS

The first lady slammed Kimmel in an X post on Monday, including calling him a "coward" and calling on "ABC to take a stand."

"His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate," she wrote.

Beckman, CEO of advertising agency DMA United, said that, from his perspective, "it's not about freedom of speech. It's about branding."

"Why would ABC and the parent company, Disney, want to be affiliated with an individual that's entering all of our homes, America's homes, night after night [in] our living rooms, our bedrooms, and spewing such divisive, vile political rhetoric?" he asked. "It leads to nowhere good."

Beckman cited reporting from The Wall Street Journal that analyzed terrorism incidents compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, data showing that, in 2025, left-wing terrorist attacks and plots outnumbered right-wing ones for the first time in more than 30 years.

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"The amount of political violence, physical political violence from the left to the right is at a higher level," said Beckman. "The trend is that from left to right, political violence is greater than that from right to left."

He says the first lady is always paying attention, watching everything while continuing to be one of the hardest working people.

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"She pays attention to what people are saying in the media, but she doesn't care so much. I think what she's focused on is how could she continue to create great achievements for the country," said Beckman.

Kimmel drew backlash last year over remarks about Charlie Kirk’s killing that critics said mischaracterized the suspect and politicized the case. The ABC host was then briefly suspended from the airwaves before returning and apologizing.

The first lady has recently used her position to expand children’s access to technology and education while inviting 45 countries for the inaugural "Fostering the Future Together" global summit in March.

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"So what is she focused on? She's focused on American children, American families, taking care of the nation as first lady. She's not going to really care about all the gossip, lies and innuendo," added Beckman.

Fox News Digital reached out to ABC and representatives for Kimmel but did not immediately receive responses.

Joe Rogan defends Jimmy Kimmel over backlash from Melania widow joke

Sat, 02 May 2026 15:25:51 -0400

Podcaster Joe Rogan defended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel against backlash after a controversial joke targeting first lady Melania Trump.

Kimmel joked that Melania had the glow of an "expectant widow" during a mock White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner skit delivered days before the Saturday shooting, a joke Rogan said "nobody gave a s---" about until the incident happened.

"It came out on Thursday. No one cared Friday. No one cared on Saturday until Saturday night when the assassination attempt, and then all the sudden, everyone’s blaming Kimmel," Rogan said Friday on "The Joe Rogan Experience."

When dissecting the meaning behind Kimmel’s joke, Rogan suggested it could be interpreted in multiple ways, such as President Donald Trump’s old age or dark political humor.

KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

"Could be [an old guy joke] or an assassination joke if you want to take it that way. But he is old," Rogan said.

The suspected shooter at the WHCA Dinner, Cole Allen, a computer scientist from Torrance, California, allegedly wrote in a manifesto note that his targets were Trump administration officials except for FBI Director Kash Patel.

Rogan’s remarks come after Kimmel faced a wave of backlash, including from those directly targeted by the joke.

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Melania Trump condemned the remark as inappropriate and harmful in a statement on X Monday morning.

"His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America," she said.

President Trump also fired back, calling for Kimmel’s firing on Truth Social and defending his wife against the "despicable" act.

"I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale," Trump wrote. "Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."

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Kimmel has not apologized for the joke and pushed back on the criticism, responding during Monday’s episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

"You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning and the first lady puts out a statement demanding you be fired from your job? We’ve all been there, right?"

Johnny Carson's friend says late-night king wisely avoided partisanship as Kimmel controversy grows

Sat, 02 May 2026 08:00:34 -0400

Legendary comedian Johnny Carson held political convictions like any other American. But when the "on air" light came on, he kept them off the show.

His longtime neighbor and weekly tennis partner, Howard Smith, is pulling back the curtain on the "King of Late Night’s" private life to reveal a man who refused to weaponize his platform despite his own strong views.

"He felt that his job was to entertain people," Smith told Fox News Digital, adding Carson avoided politics because it could alienate viewers. "That's why he never got into talking about politics at all."

Smith is the author of the 2025 book "My Friend Johnny: The Last 20 Years of a Beautiful Life with Johnny Carson and Friends."

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The pal of Carson said that modern late-night comics try to make up for a lack of comedy by getting political. Speaking bluntly of the ongoing controversy with host Jimmy Kimmel, Smith stated, "I’m not a Jimmy Kimmel fan."

Carson’s philosophy was on display during the 1981 Oscars, held a day after the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Authorities said it’s the same location as the recent alleged attempt on President Donald Trump.

"Because of the incredible events of yesterday, that old adage, ‘the show must go on,’ seemed relatively unimportant," Carson told the audience at the time.

Carson agreed the event needed to be delayed by 24 hours out of respect for the president and the country. Smith noted that while he and Carson didn’t always share the same political beliefs, they remained close friends. When Reagan died in 2004, Smith said, Carson didn’t change his views but maintained his decorum.

"I had different opinions than he did on a lot of stuff," Smith recalled.

Carson still hosted Reagan on "The Tonight Show" multiple times, putting the office ahead of personal views.

KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

It’s a respect that Smith says has been lost in the modern late-night landscape, including the controversy with Kimmel.

Kimmel faced criticism this week after a joke about first lady Melania Trump, in which he referred to her as an "expectant widow." The comment came days before the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and sparked calls for his firing.

Smith said Kimmel was once a student of the Carson era and was given a copy of his book, "My Friend Johnny."

"I’m not a Jimmy Kimmel fan," Smith told Fox News Digital, recalling he was once asked to sign a copy of his book for the host, who he was told "loves John."

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Smith believes the shift toward partisanship isn't just a choice. It's a crutch for a lack of real comedy.

"The difference nowadays is that these people are not, you know, that funny," Smith said bluntly. "So, they’re coming up with other things and the politician stuff."

Fox News Digital reached out to the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show for comment.

Smith recalled a time when Carson was asked to speak at a political event for late President George H.W. Bush. The comedian flatly declined, telling him he didn’t "want to get involved in stuff like that."

"They just want me there because they can get more money if I'm there, and I'm not [going to] participate in that," Smith recalled his friend saying.

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Smith said Carson saw the industry’s political shift coming before he retired. He added that Carson wanted David Letterman to take over his slot but had concerns about his move toward political humor. It’s a philosophy Smith said was shared by Jay Leno, who ultimately succeeded Carson, and who wrote the foreword to Smith’s book.

"I talked to Jay Leno about it. He idolized John, and he felt like John did," Smith said. "People don't want to hear about politics, and they just want to enjoy the show, laugh a lot. And that's where both Jay and John felt that their job was just to make people happy."

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On Thursday, Kimmel responded to Trump by airing a video of his wife waking him with news that the president had again called for his firing.

"I haven’t even been fired once. How can I be fired again?" Kimmel says in the clip.

Earlier that day, Trump had called on ABC to terminate Kimmel’s contract in a post on Truth Social, writing, "When is ABC Fake News Network firing seriously unfunny Jimmy Kimmel, who incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television? People are angry. It better be soon!!!"

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Following the backlash to his "expectant widow" joke, Kimmel cleared up his intentions with the comment. He defended the line as a "light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80, and she’s younger than I am."

Kimmel added that he’s spoken out against gun violence in the past.

"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination, and they know that," Kimmel said.

Kimmel showcases wife's video of late-night host being woken up to news of Trump calling for his firing

Fri, 01 May 2026 09:06:24 -0400

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel showed a video of his wife waking him up to the news that President Donald Trump called for the late-night host's firing again on Thursday.

"I’m glad I’m here. It’s not something I take for granted anymore. Please relax. This morning, I woke up to my wife shooting video with her phone. What’s going on? She was shooting me to let me know the president gave me another shout-out today," Kimmel said.

Kimmel's wife, Molly McNearney, can be heard on the video saying, "Donald Trump wants you fired again."

The late-night host groggily said from his bed that he had never been fired and asked, "How can I be fired again?"

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McNearney said, "He posted again. He is calling for you to be fired because you’re unfunny, and you’re low-rated."

Kimmel's "expectant widow" joke from last week about first lady Melania Trump went viral on social media in the wake of Saturday's attack at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, prompting the president and first lady to call for ABC to act.

Trump doubled down on Thursday in a Truth Social post.

"When is ABC Fake News Network firing seriously unfunny Jimmy Kimmel, who incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television? People are angry. It better be soon!!! President DJT," Trump wrote.

WHITE HOUSE SLAMS 'NO-TALENT LOSER' JIMMY KIMMEL AFTER OFFERING TRUMP HIS EMMY TO PULL ICE FROM MINNESOTA

Kimmel read Trump's post during his show on Thursday and the audience booed.

"Thank you for booing. I appreciate it. If incompetently presiding over, not just one of, but the lowest rating in history is the reason I should be fired, then we should both be out of a job," he said.

The liberal late-night host also went on to say that the president's ire was to "distract us from the Trump-Epstein files."

After Kimmel's "expectant widow joke" went viral following the WHCA shooting, Kimmel insisted it was a joke about Trump's age.

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"It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80, and she's younger than I am. It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination — and they know that," he continued. "I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular, but I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend, and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house."

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Kimmel said the joke referred to the couple’s age difference and denied that it was a call to assassination.

"And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do it, and I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it," Kimmel later told the first lady. "Donald Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants to say, as are you, as am I, as are all of us. Because under the First Amendment, we have as Americans a right to free speech. But with that said, I am sorry that you and the president and everyone in that room on Saturday went through that. I really am. Just because no one got killed, that doesn't mean it wasn't traumatic and scary. We should come together and be the best."

When reached for comment on Kimmel's latest remarks, the White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s Truth Social post.

Kimmel says Donald and Melania Trump are ‘closer than ever’ after ‘expectant widow’ joke backlash

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:07:52 -0400

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel renewed his mockery of President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump Wednesday, joking about their relationship following backlash over his "expectant widow" joke last week.

Kimmel opened his monologue by suggesting his joke had an unintended effect on the couple’s relationship. "Our first couple, Donald and Melania, have seemed closer than ever," he said. "And I like to think I played a part in that."

Referencing recent footage of the Trumps at a White House state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Kimmel pointed to what he described as an awkward interaction between the couple.

"Considering the week I've had with the first couple, I'm just going to say that is a completely normal way to interact for two people who are very much in love," Kimmel said. "Maybe that's why his hands are all bruised, from Melania swatting them away."

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The remarks follow controversy stemming from Kimmel’s April 23 show, when he staged an alternative White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner after the Trump administration opted not to feature a comedian at the annual event.

During that segment, Kimmel made a comment about the first lady that drew widespread backlash.

"Look at Melania, so beautiful," Kimmel said. "Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow."

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Only days later, a shooting at the Washington Hilton interrupted the actual dinner. Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, who was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and with federal weapons violations. Officials said the motive remains under investigation.

In the aftermath, both the president and first lady publicly condemned Kimmel.

"He should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Melania Trump also issued a statement criticizing the late-night host.

"People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate," she said.

LATE-NIGHT HOST HITS BACK AT TRUMP'S CALL FOR HIS FIRING, SAYS IT 'DOESN'T MAKE ME SPECIAL'

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Kimmel addressed the backlash earlier in the week, rejecting claims that his comments encouraged violence.

"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination," Kimmel said. "I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence."

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The controversy has also intersected with broader tensions between the Trump administration and ABC’s parent company, Disney. The Federal Communications Commission recently moved to accelerate review timelines for Disney-owned broadcast licenses, a step the administration said is tied to an ongoing examination of the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

FCC boss Brendan Carr maintains early ABC license renewal is about DEI probe, not Jimmy Kimmel controversy

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:35:06 -0400

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr said Thursday his move to call Disney’s ABC licenses for early renewal is unrelated to the ongoing feud between the White House and Jimmy Kimmel.

Eight Disney-owned ABC affiliates will have to prove to Carr that they have been operating in the public interest.

The licenses are not up for renewal for several years, but the FCC accelerated their renewal process after Kimmel made his controversial "expectant widow" joke last week that prompted President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to call for his firing.

But as Trump and his allies call for ABC to show Kimmel the door, Carr has maintained that the early renewal probe is part of an ongoing look at Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI] practices and the Mouse House initially failed to produce necessary documents.

ERIKA KIRK BLASTS KIMMEL'S 'CRUEL' JOKE ABOUT TRUMP'S DEATH, LAMENTS NATION'S 'EPIDEMIC OF DEHUMANIZATION'

"It felt to us like they were playing rope-a-dope and weren’t being entirely forthcoming with the production. They’re going to disagree with that, I’m sure. They get the right to," Carr told reporters during a news conference Thursday.

"If they produced the documents on the original deadline, I don’t think we’d be in the same temporal moment as we are right now," Carr continued. "We don’t think they were entirely forthcoming."

Carr said the FCC can’t "mess around" because discrimination is an important issue.

"Maybe they’ll take it more seriously at this point," Carr said.

Disney-owned ABC affiliates’ licenses were originally scheduled to be renewed between 2028 and 2031, but Trump’s FCC expedited the process.

"Our DEI review is going to continue and is going to be part of that. We are calling their licenses in for early renewal; I think they have eight station licenses. Once they make that filing, then anyone can file petitions to deny," Carr said, adding there is plenty of case law stating public interest expectations for broadcast networks.

TRUMP URGES ABC TO FIRE ‘SERIOUSLY UNFUNNY’ JIMMY KIMMEL, SAYS IT ‘BETTER BE SOON’

"Disney, as part of the filing, is going to have to come in and demonstrate that they’ve been operating in the public interest," Carr said. "They’re going to have to demonstrate that they’ve met their burden."

Kimmel had quipped Melania Trump had the glow of an "expectant widow" on his show last week. The joke went viral just days later when an armed assailant stormed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. As Kimmel's poorly aged joke went viral, President Trump and the first lady each called for ABC to act.

Kimmel, who insisted it was a joke about Trump’s age and not an assassination jab, has continued to mock Trump on a nightly basis.

During the news conference, Carr was also asked if he agreed with Trump’s call for ABC to fire Kimmel.

JIMMY KIMMEL REMAINS DEFIANT, INSISTS 'EXPECTANT WIDOW' JAB AGAINST TRUMPS WAS ABOUT AGE DIFFERENCE

"It’s not just the president. You’ve got many members of Congress who have expressed this view. The first lady has expressed her view, the president has expressed his view. … There [are] a lot of people that agree with the president on this one," Carr said at a news conference before being asked if he personally agreed.

"There is a lot of people."

KFSN-TV in Fresno, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WLS-TV in Chicago, WABC-TV in New York, WTVD in North Carolina, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia and KTRK-TV in Houston are the Disney-owned stations named by the FCC.

Disney has said it plans to comply with the FCC’s order.

"We have received the Federal Communications Commission’s order initiating an accelerated review of the licenses held by ABC’s owned television stations," a Disney spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital.

"ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information and public‑interest programming.

"We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels. Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate."

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Trump urges ABC to fire ‘seriously unfunny’ Jimmy Kimmel, says it ‘better be soon’

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:09:02 -0400

President Donald Trump on Thursday continued to call for Disney-owned ABC to terminate late-night host Jimmy Kimmel with a scathing Truth Social post.

ERIKA KIRK BLASTS KIMMEL'S 'CRUEL' JOKE ABOUT TRUMP'S DEATH, LAMENTS NATION'S 'EPIDEMIC OF DEHUMANIZATION'

During a mock WHCA Dinner, Kimmel suggested the first lady had the glow of an "expectant widow." Following backlash, Kimmel insisted his jab suggesting the first lady will be happy when her husband dies "was a very light roast joke" about his age; Trump will turn 80 in June.

ABC and Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America," Melania Trump posted Monday on X.

"People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough," the first lady continued. "It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community."

EX-OBAMA AIDE CALLS ON KIMMEL TO APOLOGIZE FOR ‘TASTELESS’ JOKE AHEAD OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Kimmel, one of Hollywood’s most outspoken critics of Trump, has continued personal attacks each night on the ABC late-night show despite backlash to the "widow" remark.

Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, is among the vocal critics of Kimmel’s "expectant widow" remark.

"We are all human beings, and if you can just pause and just take a minute and ask yourself, ‘How would you feel if, even just one person, made cruel jokes about the attempted murder of your loved one?’ That is what Jimmy Kimmel did to the first lady," Kirk said on Wednessday.

JIMMY KIMMEL REMAINS DEFIANT, INSISTS 'EXPECTANT WIDOW' JAB AGAINST TRUMPS WAS ABOUT AGE DIFFERENCE

"The ‘glow of an expectant widow,’ just 48 hours before that nightmare almost became a reality," she continued. "In this culture we’re living in, [it] absorbs disagreement as a form of personal betrayal, it turns having an opposing viewpoint into a moral crime worthy of punishment."

The alleged WHCA Dinner attacker, Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, is accused of targeting top Trump administration officials. He is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.

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CNN’s Jake Tapper defends Jimmy Kimmel after once asking why ESPN did not ‘shut down’ Aaron Rodgers for joking

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:43:04 -0400

After yet another assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, debate over late-night political talk show host Jimmy Kimmel continues.

Kimmel, who was ostensibly hired to host a comedy show, rarely even attempts comedy. Consumed by hatred for Trump and anyone not on the far left, Kimmel has consistently and defiantly argued against anyone claiming that the job of a comic is to do comedy.

JIMMY KIMMEL IGNORES ERIC SWALWELL RESIGNATION AFTER SAYING IT'D BE 'SHAMEFUL' TO AVOID POLITICAL TOPICS

That contradiction reared its ugly head again when Kimmel made an objectively poor joke about Melania Trump having the glow of an "expectant widow." Whether the joke was in poor taste or not is a matter of personal opinion, but it was poorly constructed, poorly executed, and, like most of Kimmel’s "material," received little-to-no reaction.

But after another attempt on the president’s life, many pointed to the continued rhetoric from Kimmel and many other figures on the left comparing Trump and his supporters to Nazis or other extremist ideologies. Meanwhile, Kimmel’s defenders have said outcry over a joke is unwarranted and an attack on free speech.

One of Kimmel’s defenders? CNN host Jake Tapper. Except, naturally, in rushing to protect him, Tapper abandoned what he previously said about other jokes…including jokes targeting Kimmel.

Jake Tapper contradicts Jake Tapper in order to defend his friend

In early 2024, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers made headlines by joking about Kimmel appearing on the Epstein List during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN. "There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, who’s really hoping that list doesn’t come out," Rodgers said.

Kimmel, who oddly was extremely sensitive over a joke, then threatened to sue Rodgers, saying "Keep it up and we’ll debate the facts further in court."

But his hypocrisy pales in comparison to his buddy Jake Tapper. Tapper this week rushed to Kimmel’s defense, saying "Journalism and jokes are not calls for violence. Calls for violence are calls for violence."

He wasn’t done there. Tapper then haughtily defended Kimmel by saying that there’s "zero evidence" the alleged assassin was inspired by Kimmel.

"Now, there is zero evidence — zero evidence that the would-be, alleged assassin heard the joke....is it fair to judge Jimmy Kimmel’s joke in light of what happened at the dinner two nights later?"

He continued, saying there’s a "crusade" against Kimmel and free speech by the Trump administration.

"But this crusade against Kimmel was predictable because the Trump administration’s attempt to use Saturday’s shooting as justification to stop all critical coverage, whether journalistic or comedic, of Donald Trump."

Well, hopefully one day Jake Tapper can meet previous versions of Jake Tapper who said the exact opposite when his party was the one being targeted by "stochastic" violence. Back in 2024, Tapper said Aaron Rodgers was facing "intense, and frankly, well deserved criticism" after his joke targeting "popular late night comedian" Jimmy Kimmel.

"False, defamatory, wildly irresponsible, and not funny," Tapper said. He then repeated that it was "wildly irresponsible," and that there are "lunatics out there who believe this kind of stuff."

Even better, he added, "I mean, Kimmel’s right when he says this is putting his family at risk." Tapper also wondered if ESPN had a "responsibility" to "shut down" this type of conversation. He also angrily wondered if they’d continue to allow this "nitwit" Rodgers on to make dangerous jokes.

That’s just one example of Tapper applying an entirely different standard to jokes depending on the target. There are others.

After Paul Pelosi was attacked in 2022, Tapper also had an entire show about the type of irresponsible jokes and commentary that lead to attacks on prominent figures.

Now though, Tapper has reserved his outrage for those upset that Kimmel made a joke about Melania Trump becoming a widow. Seems extremely hypocritical, no? Especially since Tapper was so upset about Rodgers’ joke being "not funny," and virtually nobody found Kimmel’s "widow" joke funny.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Why would Tapper be so concerned with how people treat Kimmel?

Oh. That’s why.

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Tapper’s clearly friends, or at least, friendly, with Kimmel, and therefore applies a different standard to him than he does to others. Not to mention the different standard he frequently applies to those on the right compared to those on the left. The issue isn’t even whether Kimmel’s joke was incitement or worthy of condemnation or removing him from his show. It’s that there is wildly disparate treatment for jokes from prominent media figures depending on the target.

And it’s just the latest example in hypocrisy when it comes to Trump derangement.

Trump ally James Comer defends Kimmel's free speech after 'widow' joke, says we shouldn't cancel comedy

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:00:13 -0400

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., politely disagreed with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, defending late-night host Jimmy Kimmel against renewed calls to remove him from the air following a controversial joke.

The White House kept up its heat on Kimmel Monday, with Trump calling on Disney to fire the ABC host. This came after first lady Melania Trump condemned Kimmel for referring to her as "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.

"I don’t want to cancel comedy," Comer said. "I believe in freedom of speech. I think that was, you know, a lot of Kimmel’s jokes are tasteless and probably borderline inappropriate," Comer said in an interview with NewsNation.

"But at the end of the day, he has a right to do that."

MENTALIST OZ PEARLMAN PULLS OUT OF KIMMEL GUEST APPEARANCE, REPLACED BY LEFT-WING PODCASTER

He said if audiences find it distasteful, they should change the channel, adding that if the FCC does scrutinize Kimmel’s network, it should be for something more substantial.

Saying he is a fan of comedy, particularly comics like Dave Chappelle, the Kentucky Republican argued that, if anything, cracking down on comedians has been an activity associated with the political left in recent years.

"All the comedians, and I know a lot of them, feel like many people, usually from the left, have kind of canceled comedy, and I think that’s unfortunate," Comer said.

"But hopefully Kimmel can proceed with jokes that don’t pertain to assassinations or things like that, because I think that gets a lot of people jacked up, and I think that contributes to the rise in political violence that we’re seeing."

KAROLINE LEAVITT SAYS OBAMA 'HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT' AFTER KIMMEL COMMENTS

Kimmel has defended his joke about Melania Trump having the glow of an "expectant widow," insisting his jab suggesting the first lady will be happy when her husband dies "was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80." Many of his critics were not persuaded.

"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination," Kimmel said.

Last year, Kimmel was briefly suspended by Disney after controversial remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage. He returned to the air days later and insisted he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death.

In December, ABC extended his contract until at least May 2027.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and to ABC but did not immediately receive responses.

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Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.

Kimmel seizes on Trump's old age joke during meeting with King Charles, jokes he 'should be fired for that'

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:03:56 -0400

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel jumped on President Donald Trump's joke that his marriage to first lady Melania Trump wouldn't be as long as his parents' 63-year union during his show on Tuesday.

Trump delivered remarks at the White House on Tuesday while welcoming King Charles III and Queen Camilla. After saying his mother and father had been together for 63 years, he looked at his wife and said, "That’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling, I’m sorry. Just not going to work out that way."

Kimmel played a clip of Trump's remarks during his show and then said, "Wait a minute, did he just make a joke about his death?"

"My God. He should be fired for that," Kimmel continued. "Only Donald Trump would demand I be fired for making a joke about his old age, and then a day later, go out and make a joke about his own old age!"

MENTALIST OZ PEARLMAN PULLS OUT OF KIMMEL GUEST APPEARANCE, REPLACED BY LEFT-WING PODCASTER

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment concerning Kimmel's joke about Trump's remarks while welcoming the King.

During a parody skit ahead of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner on his show on Thursday, Kimmel described Melania Trump as an "expectant widow."

The joke faced scrutiny after a shooting broke out at the actual event on Saturday. The alleged shooter was targeting the president and members of his Cabinet, according to authorities.

Trump and the first lady have called for Kimmel's firing over the joke.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday called for an early review of Disney’s ABC broadcast licenses, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the media giant and the Trump administration.

FCC CALLS IN DISNEY-OWNED ABC STATIONS FOR EARLY LICENSE REVIEW IN WAKE OF JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

Eight Disney-owned ABC affiliates will have to prove to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr that they have been operating in the public interest. The licenses are not up for renewal for several years, but the FCC accelerated their renewal process on the heels of Kimmel's "expectant widow" joke.

Kimmel defended his joke on Monday's show amid backlash.

"This was Thursday, and there was no big reaction to it until this morning, when I greeted the day facing yet another Twitter vomit storm," Kimmel said during his monologue. "I said, our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at her. So beautiful. This is from the glow. Like an expectant widow, which obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they were together."

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Resurfaced clip of Johnny Carson's grace after Reagan shooting contrasts with Kimmel

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:47:13 -0400

Nearly half a century ago, comedian Johnny Carson chose unity over punchlines after an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

A clip comparing Carson’s 1981 Oscars monologue to reactions to a recent attempt on President Donald Trump’s life has drawn nearly 800,000 views online.

"I'm sure that all of you here and most of you watching tonight understand why we delayed this program for 24 hours," Carson said in the video. "Because of the incredible events of yesterday, that old adage, the show must go on, seemed relatively unimportant."

Carson and others postponed the Academy Awards by 24 hours after John Hinckley Jr.’s March 30, 1981, attempt on Reagan’s life. The attack happened at the same location as Saturday’s shooting, the Washington Hilton Hotel, more than 40 years earlier.

There are clear differences between the attempt on Reagan and Trump. Reagan was seriously wounded and returned to the White House after 12 days in the hospital.

COLBERT CALLS TRUMP 'AUTHORITARIAN' BUT REJECTS 'PARTISAN' LABEL IN EXIT INTERVIEW WITH NY TIMES

"The Academy, ABC television and all of us connected with the show felt because of the uncertain outcome as of this time yesterday, it would have been inappropriate to stage a celebration," Carson added.

The host noted the president’s resilience, saying he was in "excellent condition" and still "conducting business." He shared that Reagan was making jokes from his hospital bed while struggling to speak.

"You must remember, this is a man who yesterday, while he was in the hospital, unable to speak, wrote on a sheet of paper, ‘All things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia.’ So tonight, the show does go on," Carson said.

LONG BEFORE KIMMEL CONTROVERSY, LATE-NIGHT HOSTS PRAISED BIG TECH FOR DEPLATFORMING TRUMP IN 2021

The video resurfaced as late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel faces criticism over a joke made before the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. During his show last Thursday, Kimmel aired a parody of the event and joked about first lady Melania Trump: "Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow."

MENTALIST OZ PEARLMAN PULLS OUT OF KIMMEL GUEST APPEARANCE, REPLACED BY LEFT-WING PODCASTER

Clips of the comments spread widely online after what authorities have described as another assassination attempt over the weekend. The first lady called on ABC to fire Kimmel over what she described as "hateful" language.

Kimmel defended the comment as a "light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80, and she’s younger than I am."

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"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination — and they know that," Kimmel said Monday night.

"I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular, but I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend, and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house," he added.

10 celebrities who have joked about Trump's death, from Kathy Griffin to Jimmy Kimmel

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:36 -0400

President Donald Trump and Melania Trump each called for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel on Monday after the liberal late-night host referred to the first lady as having the glow of "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.

During a mock WHCA Dinner last week, Kimmel mocked the first lady and her marriage while suggesting she would enjoy being a widow. The joke didn't age well after authorities say 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, armed with multiple weapons, and opened fire, striking a Secret Service agent. Authorities say he intended to assassinate Trump and other officials.

In a defiant monologue Monday night, Kimmel insisted it "obviously was a joke about their age difference" and was not a call for an assassination.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC'

While residents of the White House call for ABC to take action against Kimmel, he’s not the first celebrity to joke about Trump's death or assassination. Here are nine other examples.

Lea DeLaria

Actress Lea DeLaria found herself in hot water in 2016 after she wrote on Instagram that she wanted to "take out" Republicans and Independents with a baseball bat.

DeLaria, best known for her role as "Big Boo" on "Orange Is the New Black," shared a Leonard Bernstein quote on Instagram about responding to violence through music.

She captioned the quote by suggesting a different response to violence, writing, "Or pick up a baseball bat and take out every f---ing republican and independent I see. #f---trump #f---theGOP #f---straightwhiteamerica #f---yourprivilege."

She later deleted the post.

Charlie Sheen

Shortly after Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher’s deaths in 2016, Charlie Sheen took to Twitter asking God to take Trump next.

He tweeted with the emoji middle finger, "Dear God; Trump next, please! Trump next, please! Trump next, please! Trump next, please! Trump next, please! Trump next, please!"

Kathy Griffin

Kathy Griffin famously posed for a photo in 2017 holding a bloodied, fake severed head of Trump.

Griffin faced backlash over the photo, lost her CNN gig and faced a Secret Service investigation for conspiracy to murder the then-president. Griffin apologized after receiving a swath of hate from critics but later rescinded that apology.

Madonna

At the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017 after Trump's first inauguration, Madonna made a comment about "blowing up the White House."

She told the crowd of 500,000 people, "I’m angry. Yes, I am outraged. Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House. But I know that this won't change anything. We cannot fall into despair. As the poet W. H. Auden once wrote on the eve of World War II, ‘We must love one another or die.’ I choose love. Are you with me?"

KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp joked about assassinating Trump during a 2017 event in Glastonbury.

"When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?" he asked, referencing John Wilkes Booth.

"I want to clarify; I am not an actor. I lie for a living," Depp said. "However, it has been a while, and maybe it is time."

Carole Cook

Late Broadway legend Carole Cook implied she wanted to see Trump get assassinated, asking "Where's John Wilkes Booth when you need him?" when approached by a TMZ cameraman in 2018.

Cook’s comment delighted her husband, who quickly reminded viewers that Booth killed a president, who was obviously Abraham Lincoln. Booth assassinated Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., in 1865.

"Where is he when you need him?" Cook asked again before someone off camera asked, "So we need to kill President Trump?"

"Why not?" Cook asked. "Now, will that get me in trouble? Will I be on an enemy’s list? My God, I hope so... just keep me out of jail."

George Lopez

Comedian George Lopez joked about collecting a rumored bounty on Trump’s head in 2020. He commented on an Instagram post touting the unverified claim that Iranian authorities had put an $80 million price on Trump’s head following the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

"We’ll do it for half," Lopez wrote.

WHO IS COLE ALLEN? CALIFORNIA MAN NAMED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SHOOTING

Kyle Gass of Tenacious D

Actor Jack Black's band, Tenacious D, came under fire after Black's bandmate made a dark joke just hours after Trump was wounded in the Pennsylvania assassination attempt in 2024.

During a concert, Black wished Gass "Happy Birthday" before asking him to "make a wish," in a video that went viral on social media. Gass replied with, "Don’t miss Trump next time."

Gass’ remarks came hours after Trump narrowly survived a shooting at the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooter killed one attendee and critically wounded two others before being killed by law enforcement.

Michael Che of "Saturday Night Live"

"Saturday Night Live" cast member Michael Che cracked an assassination joke earlier this month during the show’s "Weekend Update" segment. To set up the joke, Che noted Trump attended the opening night performance of "Chicago" at the Trump Kennedy Center days earlier.

"I think that's cool that the president is going to the theater. I mean — what's the worst that could happen?" Che said with a grin, referencing the assassination of President Lincoln, which sparked massive cheers from the liberal audience.

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George Clooney mounts defense of Kimmel's 'widow' joke about Melania Trump, laments rhetoric is 'too heated'

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:03:16 -0400

Actor George Clooney defended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Monday as the comedian faces backlash over describing first lady Melania Trump as an "expectant widow."

"Jimmy’s a comedian, and I would argue that Karoline Leavitt didn’t mean shots should be fired," Clooney said at the 51st Chaplin Award Gala, according to Variety. "She was making a joke. Fair enough. You look at that side and go, ’Well, jokes are jokes.’ But the rhetoric is a little dangerous. And we’ve seen it a lot lately."

Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in an interview before the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner that there would be "shots fired" in the president's speech at the event, referring to his likely verbal jabs at the press.

"When one side is calling anyone they disagree with traitors to the country, which is a charge that’s punishable by death, just because they don’t agree with someone, I think the rhetoric is a little too heated," Clooney said.

DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

Kimmel defended his joke about the first lady during his show on Monday.

WHO IS COLE ALLEN? CALIFORNIA MAN NAMED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SHOOTING

Clooney also decried political violence at the gala.

"I can’t be here on a night like tonight and just ignore everything that’s going on in the world," Clooney said, speaking on stage, according to Variety.

"I disagree with everything that this administration stands for, but there’s no place for the kind of violence we saw two nights ago in Washington, D.C. Nor is there room for this kind of violence in Minnesota with Alex Pretti or Renée Good," he added.

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"It seems to me there’s a struggle that has to be won against hatred and corruption and cruelty and violence," Clooney continued, according to the report. "It’s a struggle for the very soul of this republic because to foment hate and violence is to inherit the wind."

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Clooney is an outspoken critic of the president, recently arguing that a threat Trump issued to Iran on social media was a "war crime."

Mentalist Oz Pearlman pulls out of Kimmel guest appearance, replaced by left-wing podcaster

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:16 -0400

Oz Pearlman, the mentalist who was scheduled to perform at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner on Saturday, pulled out of his Monday appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Instead of Pearlman, Kimmel brought on liberal "Pod Save America" host Jon Lovett.

Deadline reported that it was unclear why Pearlman backed out of Kimmel's show.

DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

Pearlman did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to Kimmel's show.

Kimmel has faced backlash in recent days over remarks he made about first lady Melania Trump during a mock WHCA Dinner bit he did on Thursday.

Kimmel referred to Melania as an "expectant widow" in the bit, which occurred two days before the actual dinner and shooting.

"Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow," Kimmel said.

TRUMP PRAISED FOR 'STRENGTH' IN MOMENTS AFTER SHOTS RANG OUT AS EYEWITNESS DESCRIBES 'TERRIBLE' SCENE

The liberal late-night host defended the joke during his show on Monday.

"This was Thursday, and there was no big reaction to it until this morning, when I greeted the day facing yet another Twitter vomit storm," Kimmel said during his monologue. "I said, 'Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at her. So beautiful. This is from the glow. Like an expectant widow,' which obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they were together."

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Pearlman opened up about the chaotic moments during the weekend shooting at the WHCA Dinner, describing the scene as "surreal" and filled with immediate fear and confusion.

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"This is something nefarious and dangerous, and you feel the hairs on your neck starting to lift and, if you watch the video, it's surreal that this was 24 hours ago," Pearlman said Sunday on "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade."

Pearlman, who was with President Donald Trump at the time, said he initially struggled to process what was unfolding.

Critics reject Jimmy Kimmel's defense of his 'expectant widow' joke, key White House figure calls for firing

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:08:55 -0400

Not everyone is buying ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s claim that his controversial "expectant widow" joke about President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump was simply about his age.

Kimmel's joke from Thursday went viral on social media in the wake of Saturday's attack at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, prompting both President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to issue statements calling for his firing from the Disney-owned network.

But instead of apologizing or backing down, Kimmel remained defiant Monday night, insisting his jab suggesting the first lady will be happy when her husband dies "was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80."

"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination," Kimmel said.

JIMMY KIMMEL REMAINS DEFIANT, INSISTS 'EXPECTANT WIDOW' JAB AGAINST TRUMPS WAS ABOUT AGE DIFFERENCE

Fox News contributor Joe Concha declared, "Outside of those with chronic TDS, there isn’t a soul on the planet who believes this was the intent of Kimmel’s ‘joke.’"

White House director of communications Steven Cheung said that Kimmel is a "s--- human" for doubling down.

"ABC needs to fire him immediately and he should be shunned for the rest of his life," Cheung wrote.

"He knows that the things that he says are incendiary, and they tend to activate people like the alleged shooter… the joke wasn’t funny on Thursday night, and he felt it necessary to repeat it," Fox News’ Kennedy said Tuesday on "America’s Newsroom."

"If I were ABC, I would look at this and wonder why we’re spending so much money on someone who is so divisive and so unfunny," she continued. "And I think that’s the bottom line."

The White House Rapid Response 47 account called Kimmel "pathetic."

"We all know what you meant," Rapid Response 47 added.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC’

NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck posted on X: "You see, the rules are THEY are allowed to ‘joke’ about our side dying."

"Regardless of his intent, he was joking about the President dying and Melania being happy about it, which does not belong on taxpayer-funded airwaves," podcaster Benny Johnson reacted.

While many have mocked Kimmel’s explanation, CBS’ Gayle King and liberal actor George Clooney have defended him.

Others reacted to Kimmel’s explanation on social media:

DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, the 31-year-old accused of targeting top Trump administration officials, is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.

In December, ABC extended his contract until at least May 2027.

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Fox News Digital reached out to ABC to request comment.

FCC to call in Disney stations for early license review in wake of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel controversy

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:23:54 -0400

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to call the licenses of Disney for early license review as soon as Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the media giant and the Trump administration, Fox News Digital has confirmed.

Disney-owned ABC affiliates will have to prove to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr that they have been operating in the public interest. The licenses are not up for renewal for several years, but the FCC plans unprecedented action to accelerate their renewal on the heels of Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial "expectant widow" comment last week that prompted President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to call for his termination.

Citing "people familiar with the matter," Semafor first reported that the FCC would move toward a review of Disney’s broadcast licenses. The same report suggested the commission could decide not to follow through, but an FCC source told Fox News Digital that Disney-owned stations will indeed be called in for a full suite of reviews by Carr’s FCC.

JIMMY KIMMEL REMAINS DEFIANT, INSISTS 'EXPECTANT WIDOW' JAB AGAINST TRUMPS WAS ABOUT AGE DIFFERENCE

The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The request is not expected to specifically mention Kimmel by name, but will instead be painted as a broad look at everything the Disney-owned stations air over publicly owned airwaves.

Kimmel did not apologize for the "widow" remark on his show Monday, instead doubling down by saying he clearly wasn't calling for the president's assassination, and it was instead a reference to the first couple's age difference.

"It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80, and she's younger than I am. It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination — and they know that," Kimmel said on Monday. "I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular, but I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend, and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house."

EX-OBAMA AIDE CALLS ON KIMMEL TO APOLOGIZE FOR ‘TASTELESS’ JOKE AHEAD OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The widow joke, which he made last week before Saturday night's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, has come under fire in the wake of another apparent attempt on the president's life. The suspected assailant at the dinner, who rushed a security checkpoint and opened fire, reportedly told authorities he wanted to target top Trump administration members.

The shooting led to the evacuation of the Trumps and Cabinet members in attendance, and the dinner was canceled and is expected to be rescheduled. As the chaos unfolded, footage of Kimmel’s "widow" jab went viral and both Trump and the first lady called for ABC to act.

"Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America," Melania Trump posted on X.

DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

The president later posted on Truth Social that Kimmel should be fired. The late-night host has been a staunch foe of the administration and mocks the White House on a nightly basis.

Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, the 31-year-old accused of targeting top Trump administration officials, is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.

Disney and ABC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Sage Steele says she'd be shocked if Disney disciplines Jimmy Kimmel over Melania Trump jab

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:04:00 -0400

Former ESPN host Sage Steele cast doubt on whether Disney will discipline Jimmy Kimmel over his "expectant widow" jab against first lady Melania Trump, saying she would be shocked if the company takes action despite growing backlash.

"I would say it would shock me if they did based on history..." Steele said Monday on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

"Will they? Who knows? Should they? Absolutely."

Steele, who worked for The Walt Disney Company for nearly two decades at ESPN, pointed to her own experience as evidence of what she described as a double standard in how the company handles controversial speech.

MAHER CALLS OUT KIMMEL FOR NOT THANKING HIM FOR SUPPORT AMID SUSPENSION, ACCUSES KIMMEL OF LIBERAL BIAS

She argued that Kimmel’s remarks crossed a line, adding that Disney’s new leadership has an opportunity to take a different approach.

"[CEO Josh D'Amaro] has an opportunity now to reset, to say, 'You know what? Enough is enough. We as a network are not going to contribute to this hateful rhetoric,' and he can drop the hammer now..." she added.

"This is your chance, not just to send a message to Jimmy Kimmel, but to all the other talent, to the executives, and most importantly to [the] American people, to say we are better than this. That was not a joke. It was much worse than that. Everybody knows it, it is time, and I hope the new CEO does it the right way."

Steele's remarks came after Kimmel quipped that the first lady had a "glow" like an "expectant widow" during a Thursday night sketch.

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UNLOADS ON KIMMEL, CALLING HIM 'DERANGED' AND FOR HIM TO BE FIRED

The joke went viral on social media in the wake of Saturday's attack at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, which federal authorities say involved an armed man trying to storm the event while targeting President Donald Trump and top Cabinet officials.

Kimmel rejected the criticism and attempted to clear the air during Monday's monologue:

"This was Thursday, and there was no big reaction to it until this morning when I greeted the day facing yet another Twitter vomit storm...," the ABC late-night host said.

"[This] obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they were together."

He continued, "It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80, and she's younger than I am. It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination — and they know that."

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Neither ABC nor its parent company, Disney, responded to Fox News Digital's prior requests for comment regarding the matter.

Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Jimmy Kimmel remains defiant, insists 'expectant widow' jab against Trumps was about age difference

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:19:58 -0400

ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel remained defiant Monday night, insisting his now-viral "expectant widow" joke about President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump was simply about their age.

Kimmel said the joke referred to the couple’s age difference and denied that it was a call to assassination.

DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY

Notably, celebrity mentalist Oz Pearlman, the entertainment headliner who was scheduled to perform at the WHCA Dinner until the attack upended the evening, backed out of his slated appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and was replaced at the last minute by liberal "Pod Save America" host Jon Lovett.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC’

Kimmel's joke from Thursday went viral on social media in the wake of Saturday's attack at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, which federal authorities say involved an armed man trying to storm the event while targeting Trump and top Cabinet officials.

Both President Trump and first lady Melania Trump issued statements calling for Kimmel's firing from the Disney-owned network.

EX-OBAMA AIDE CALLS ON KIMMEL TO APOLOGIZE FOR ‘TASTELESS’ JOKE AHEAD OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The president later followed suit, writing Monday on Truth Social that Kimmel’s remark amounted to a "despicable call to violence."

"I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said, but this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."

In December, ABC extended his contract until at least May 2027.

Neither ABC nor its parent company, Disney, responded to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

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Disney under fire as ABC grapples with another Jimmy Kimmel controversy

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:52:10 -0400

The latest controversy hovering over liberal comedian Jimmy Kimmel is leaving a sour taste among those in ABC's orbit.

Kimmel is under fire yet again, this time for a poorly-timed joke he made targeting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump just two days before Saturday's shocking assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, where the Trumps and nearly the entire Cabinet were located.

On his own program, the late-night host depicted his own version of the WHCA Dinner where he emceed the annual gala, and leveled several jabs at both the president and first lady.

"Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow," Kimmel said, sparking laughs from the liberal audience.

KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

Both President Trump and first lady Melania Trump issued statements calling for Kimmel's firing from the Disney-owned network.

One ABC staffer took a swipe at its parent company for repeatedly being swept up in the comedian's drama.

"The government should have zero say about who is on air," the ABC staffer told Fox News Digital. "But if I were the head of a media company—news, sitcoms, whatever—I’d think long and hard about the country I wanted to mirror back to my viewers."

"The 'Ted Lasso' model where people are fundamentally good and flawed and trying their best to build in their communities? Or the 'House of Cards' model where everyone is cruel, and you get ahead by not caring about anything except your team and its power," they continued, adding such standards should also be applied to anyone occupying the Oval Office as well.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC’

An entertainment lawyer who represents ABC talent also knocked the House of Mouse.

"Disney has lost its way, its identification with wholesome, American values," the lawyer said. "What does Kimmel have to do that affects his employer's image, what would he have to say [to face consequences]?"

The lawyer added they were "embarrassed for Disney" after the fallout over Kimmel's latest remarks.

"At some point, you've got to stand up and say, this is America. Are these values the ones you want to portray?" the lawyer told Fox News Digital.

It's not just the Trumps and their supporters who are critical of Kimmel. Former Obama advisor David Axelrod called the joke "tasteless" and called on him to apologize.

Disney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UNLOADS ON KIMMEL, CALLING HIM ‘DERANGED’ AND FOR HIM TO BE FIRED

Kimmel's job appeared to have been in jeopardy last fall following explosive remarks he made following the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk when he suggested that suspect Tyler Robinson was part of the "MAGA gang."

The comment sparked outrage among conservatives, leading to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to issue a veiled threat against Disney and ABC stations around the country owned by Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group preempted "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Amid the growing backlash, Disney announced that Kimmel would be off the air "indefinitely." That in itself sparked further backlash from the left with hundreds of protesters gathered outside Disney’s offices in Burbank, California, demanding that the network return "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to the air and thousands of canceled Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions. Less than a week later, Kimmel returned to air and he tearfully walked back his comments.

It is unclear whether Disney will maintain its support for Kimmel this time around. The Kirk controversy took place under CEO Bob Iger, who reportedly made the call to temporarily bench the host. Iger has since stepped down and handed the reins to Josh D'Amaro in March, marking his first major crisis as the company's leader. However, ABC previously announced in December that Kimmel's contract was extended through May 2027.

Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, the 31-year-old accused of targeting Trump and top Cabinet officials Saturday, is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.

Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.

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Melania is right, Jimmy Kimmel shouldn’t have his show anymore: Bobby Burack

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:29:05 -0400

Jimmy Kimmel isn’t worth the problem for ABC.

Last Thursday, Kimmel ran a skit parodying the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, mocking First Lady Melania Trump for a "glow like an expectant widow." Two days later, the actual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected assassination attempt.

On Monday, both the president and first lady posted about Kimmel's remarks on social media.

"Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy. His words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America," Melania Trump posted on X.

DISNEY SAYS JIMMY KIMMEL'S SHOW 'WILL BE PRE-EMPTED INDEFINITELY' FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN COMMENTS

"Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible television ratings, made a statement on his show that is really shocking," Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Kimmel is a late-night comedian, at least in name. We support a comedian's right to make jokes about the people in power. That said, a network also reserves the right to judge a so-called comedian for the quality and business implications of their jokes.

And therein lies the concern.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG LASHES OUT AT CRITICS OF 'THE VIEW' BEING QUIET ON KIMMEL: 'NO ONE SILENCES US'

Jimmy Kimmel isn’t funny. He hasn’t been funny since Trump came down the escalator in 2015. Now he comes off as bitter, smug and sickly partisan.

Despite the heavy news cycle, his show is less popular now than at any time before. In March, ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" lost 5% of its total viewership and 13% of its audience in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 age demographic. Kimmel once again ranked third in viewership for the month (2.17 million viewers), behind Fox News’ "Gutfeld!" (3.53 million) and the soon-to-be-canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on CBS (2.40 million).

Considering that Colbert's show lost around $40 million a year, it's hard to see how ABC can turn a profit on Kimmel's programming, given its low ratings and large budget.

JIMMY KIMMEL LIKENS ANTI-TRUMP ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS TO AMERICAN REVOLUTION

For reference, in 2024, the four late-night shows across CBS, NBC and ABC combined for just $220 million in ad revenue. In 2018, they generated $439 million. That's a 50% drop in just seven years.

Jimmy Kimmel and his supporters will call the idea of ABC dismissing him an attack on free speech and proof of a fascist administration. In reality, it's just business.

Kimmel costs ABC more than he's worth. He is a headache without much upside. His humor is far more hateful than clever at this point.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO ‘TAKE A STAND’ AGAINST JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC'

He also seems to have a strange fixation on death, whether it's joking about shooting Trump or the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which led to his suspension last year.

ABC doesn’t need to care that he feuds with Trump. That comes with the job. But it should care that its highly paid late-night host is only relevant when he jokes about people shooting his political foes.

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His "jokes" are distasteful and contribute to the political divide that has clearly radicalized the American left and downplayed its fascination with political violence.

And no one knows all of this better than the executives at ABC. Despite its obvious political leanings, the network must know Jimmy Kimmel isn't worth it anymore.

Ex-Obama aide calls on Kimmel to apologize for 'tasteless' Trump joke ahead of assassination attempt

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:22:36 -0400

A top Democratic strategist for former President Barack Obama is calling on Jimmy Kimmel to apologize for the poorly aged joke about President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump made just days before Saturday's assassination attempt.

Former Obama White House advisor and CNN political analyst David Axelrod weighed in on the controversy after the Trumps on Monday both called for Kimmel's firing.

"I like @jimmykimmel. He's funny & courageous at a time when there has been too much cowardice. That said, this WAS a tasteless joke," Axelrod wrote on X.

"The WH will use any issue to demand he be fired because his satire touches a nerve, and ABC is right to resist. But he'd be right to apologize," Axelrod added.

MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC’

Disney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Kimmel quickly went viral in the wake of the attack just outside the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, where the Trumps and nearly the entire Cabinet were located.

On Thursday, Kimmel depicted his own version of the WHCA Dinner where he emceed the annual gala, and leveled several jabs at both the president and first lady.

"Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow," Kimmel said, sparking laughs from the liberal audience.

KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

The first lady made waves Monday, calling for ABC to "take a stand" and saying Kimmel shouldn't be able to "enter our homes each evening to spread hate."

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UNLOADS ON KIMMEL, CALLING HIM ‘DERANGED’ AND FOR HIM TO BE FIRED

The president later followed suit, who said in part Monday on Truth Social, "I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."

Last year, Kimmel was briefly suspended by Disney, after controversial remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage and a veiled threat was leveled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He returned to air days later and insisted he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death.

In December, ABC extended his contract until at least May 2027.

Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, the 31-year-old accused of targeting Trump and top Cabinet officials Saturday, is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.

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Trump White House unloads on Kimmel, calling him 'deranged' and for him to be fired

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:33:42 -0400

The White House kept up its heat on Jimmy Kimmel on Monday, as President Donald Trump called on Disney to fire the ABC late-night host for making a "call to violence" last week and press secretary Karoline Leavitt called him "completely deranged."

First lady Melania Trump had already called on Monday for Kimmel's firing over his "hateful" language after the liberal late-night host referred to her as "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.

President Trump agreed and followed with his own post, declaring, "Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings, made a statement on his Show that is really shocking. He showed a fake video of the First Lady, Melania, and our son, Barron, like they were actually sitting in his studio, listening to him speak, which they weren’t, and never would be. He then stated, ‘Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.’"

WHO IS COLE ALLEN? CALIFORNIA MAN NAMED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SHOOTING

Trump continued, connecting it to the shooting at the White House correspondents dinner that happened shortly afterward.

"A day later a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents Dinner, loaded up with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives," he wrote. "He was there for a very obvious and sinister reason. I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Leavitt also unloaded on Kimmel during her press briefing on Monday.

"Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?" she said. "And having experienced what I did with the first lady on Saturday night, I can tell you that she was anything but that. This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely deranged, and it’s unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night."

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Kimmel faced similar backlash for his remarks last year, when he was suspended by ABC parent company, Disney, after remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage and a veiled threat from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and did not receive immediate reply.

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.