As President Donald Trump continues his war of words against Jimmy Kimmel, the comedian is taking the online threats in stride.
“This morning, when I woke up, I woke up to my wife shooting video of me with her phone,” Kimmel said in the Thursday night monologue of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! “It turns out, she was shooting me to let me know the president gave me another shout-out today.”
Kimmel then aired that video footage, which shows him waking up to wife Molly McNearney telling him, “Donald Trump wants you fired again.”
“I haven’t even been fired once,” a bleary-eyed Kimmel quips. “How could I be fired again?”
Behind the camera, McNearney laughs and says,“He posted again. He’s calling for you to be fired ’cause you’re unfunny and you’re low-rated.”
To that, Kimmel smiles and says, “Well, those are good reasons.”
On air, Kimmel recited the demand Trump posted to Truth Social that morning: “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.”
ABC, Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Kimmel then shared a headline about a new Reuters/Ispos poll showing that Trump’s approval rating had dropped to 34 percent, the lowest level of his second term.
“If incompetently presiding over not just one of but the lowest rating in history is the reason I should be fired, we should both be out of a job, because you’re not doing too good either.”
Kimmel mused, “Imagine if FDR had taken to the airwaves during the Battle of the Bulge to complain about a Little Orphan Annie comic strip he didn’t like. Trump has three wars going on right now: Iranians, Ukrainians, and comedians.”
The late-night emcee commended Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Rand Paul, and Congressman James Comer for speaking out to support the right to free speech. “Every one of these guys I’ve made fun of repeatedly and viciously on this show. And you know what? Not one of them has done pressured ABC to fire me for it.”
And Kimmel aired several clips of Trump defending free speech and decrying censorship cancel culture in previous speeches. “The goal of cancel culture is to make decent Americans live in fear of being fired,” Trump said as he accepted his party’s nomination at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
After citing that quote, Kimmel said, “I hate to say this, and I hope it doesn’t get me in trouble. I’m starting to think Donald Trump might be a hypocrite.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, ABC
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