Liberal comedian Jimmy Kimmel is facing renewed backlash after a joke about President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump aired just days before the attempted assassination at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. The incident has sparked criticism from political figures, media insiders, and even some Democrats.
Advertisement Kimmel made the remark during his late-night program while imagining himself hosting the WHCA Dinner, where he delivered jokes aimed at the president and first lady, Fox News reported.
“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump both issued statements calling for Kimmel’s firing following the attempted attack. The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner was attended by the Trumps and several Cabinet officials at the time of the incident.
Advertisement An ABC staffer criticized the broader direction of the company while defending editorial independence
Advertisement An ABC staffer criticized the broader direction of the company while defending editorial independence.
“The government should have zero say about who is on air,” the staffer said. “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 staffer contrasted two different storytelling approaches when describing the network’s cultural impact.
Advertisement “The ‘Ted Lasso’ model where people are fundamentally good and flawed and trying their best to build in their communities
Advertisement “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,” the staffer said.
An entertainment lawyer representing ABC talent also criticized the company’s handling of the situation.
