Jimmy Kimmel Defends His Kirk Comments Against Critics’ Claims
MEDIA-DISNEY/KIMMEL (PIX): Jimmy Kimmel says critics ‘maliciously mischaracterized’ his Kirk remarks
By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Recently, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel expressed his belief that critics intentionally misconstrued his comments regarding the reaction to the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk. This was stated just before his show faced a suspension.
Details of the Controversy
Kimmel ignited anger among conservatives during his September 17 broadcast. He suggested that supporters of former President Donald Trump were eager to label Kirk’s accused assassin as “anything other than one of them,” seeking to gain political leverage from the tragedy.
Responding to the backlash, Kimmel remarked, “I didn’t see a significant issue. It appeared to me as a distortion from certain right-wing media outlets, and I aimed to address it.”
Kimmel Defends His Comments
During his appearance at the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles, Kimmel elaborated that he felt his remarks had been “maliciously mischaracterized.” Following this, ABC, the parent company of Disney, took his show off the air temporarily.
The suspension came after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel for allegedly misleading viewers about the assassin’s ties to the Trump movement. Carr even suggested that local stations could face license revocation for not taking action.
Reflecting on the Situation
Kimmel mentioned he spent the weekend discussing the matter with Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden. He said, “It helped me process everything and get a clearer understanding of various perspectives. I have moments of being reactive, aggressive, and unpleasant, and taking time to reflect was beneficial.”
After a six-day hiatus, Disney decided to reinstate Kimmel. He informed Disney executives of his intent regarding his return to television, focusing on the spirit of his message rather than the specific words.
Return to Airwaves
Upon his comeback, Kimmel defended the role of political satire, addressing what he termed “bullying” from Trump and officials from his administration. Emotionally overwhelmed, he delivered a heartfelt message stating, “It was never my intention to trivialize the murder of a young person; I believe there’s nothing amusing about it.”
This story is based on information from a news agency feed.
How do you feel about Kimmel’s recent comments and the subsequent response?
