"He Should Be Fired First"... Kimmel, Under Fire for 'Widow Remark', Turns Satire Back at Trump

American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who was called to be fired by President Donald Trump for remarks targeting First Lady Melania Trump, continued his satire against President Trump on his broadcast.

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who is in conflict with President Donald Trump and his wife. YouTube

원본보기 아이콘

According to Yonhap News, on the April 28 (local time) episode of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Kimmel delivered a monologue satirizing the conversation at the official White House welcome ceremony for King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Queen Camilla, who were on a state visit to the United States.

On the show, Kimmel highlighted a moment when President Trump, during the ceremony, mentioned that his parents had been married for 63 years, then turned to Melania Trump and said, "I don’t think we’re going to catch up to that record. Sorry." Kimmel quipped, "Wait a minute, did he just make a joke about his own death?" and added, "Wow, he should be fired." He went on to say, "Only Trump would demand I be fired for making a joke about his age, then turn around and make a joke about his own age the very next day."

Previously, on the April 23 broadcast, Kimmel caused controversy during a segment parodying the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when he said to Melania Trump, "You have the glow of someone who’s about to become a widow." Coincidentally, a shooting incident occurred two days later at the dinner, prompting supporters to criticize Kimmel, claiming, "Kimmel incited something that could put the president in danger."

President Donald Trump and Mrs. Melania Trump. Photo by UPI News Agency

원본보기 아이콘

On April 27, Melania Trump criticized Kimmel through her social media, stating, "Kimmel’s hateful and violent remarks are intended to divide our country," and, "His monologue about my family is not comedy." She continued, "It’s time for this to stop. ABC needs to make its position clear. How much longer will the network allow Kimmel’s terrible behavior to harm our community?" urging the broadcaster to take a stand. President Trump also posted on social media the same day, saying, "Kimmel is not funny at all and made shocking remarks. Many people are outraged by his dangerous statements. Kimmel should be fired immediately by ABC and Disney."

Kimmel responded to the controversy by saying, "It was a light joke, considering President Trump is 79 and Melania Trump is 55. However you define it, it was not an incitement to assassination. I have long opposed gun violence." Regarding Melania Trump’s criticism that his remarks were "hateful and violent rhetoric," he replied, "The best person to start that conversation with would be your husband." Speaking about the shooting incident, he added, "Just because there were no fatalities doesn’t mean there’s no trauma. I am sincerely sorry."

Meanwhile, Disney, the parent company of ABC, has not complied with demands to fire Kimmel. Additionally, after President Trump’s call for his dismissal, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it would expedite the license renewal process for eight ABC-owned stations by several years, sparking interpretations that this move is government retaliation for the controversy over Kimmel’s remarks.

Disney responded by stating, "We have fully complied with FCC regulations and will demonstrate this through appropriate legal procedures." CNN reported, "Disney has explicitly referenced the First Amendment (freedom of expression) and expressed its intent to take legal action. Experts believe that if the FCC attempts to revoke the licenses, Disney is likely to prevail."

Anna Gomez, the only Democrat commissioner at the FCC, voiced her support by saying, "Disney has the First Amendment on its side," while Republican Senator Ted Cruz also commented, "It is not the government’s job to censor the press or free expression. The FCC should not act like language police."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.