Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night evolution from apolitical funnyman to Dem activist

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Jimmy Kimmel's evolution as a comic is probably essentially the most putting of any of his late-night rivals.

Kimmel made a reputation for himself within the early 2000s as co-host of Comedy Central's sketch comedy series "The Man Present." His humor thrived on political incorrectness as "The Man Present" touted male stereotypes, famously featured "women on trampolines" and Kimmel himself repeatedly donned blackface to impersonate celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and NBA star Karl Malone. He also used the n-word whereas parodying Snoop Dogg's music in 1996.

He entered the large leagues in 2003 with the launch of "Jimmy Kimmel Reside!" on ABC after the 2002 cancellation of "Politically Incorrect," which was engulfed in a nationwide firestorm when host Invoice Maher argued the 9/11 hijackers weren't cowardly simply days after the 2001 terrorist assaults.

DISNEY SAYS JIMMY KIMMEL'S SHOW WILL BE PREEMPTED INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION COMMENTS

Jimmy Kimmel advised President Donald Trump was a "racist" whereas internet hosting The Oscars in 2017. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

For a number of years, Kimmel largely shunned controversy. Even in the course of the 2016 election cycle, he had a really cordial interview with then-candidate Donald Trump, who made earlier appearances on "Jimmy Kimmel Reside!" selling "The Apprentice."

Weeks after Trump's inauguration, Kimmel swiped the brand new president whereas internet hosting the Oscars.

"I need to say thanks to President Trump. I imply, bear in mind final yr when it appeared just like the Oscars have been racist? It is gone!" Kimmel mentioned to the gang of liberal A-listers in February 2017.

It wasn't till Could 2017 that Kimmel started embracing the position as a liberal activist. He supplied a tearful monologue following his new child son's open-heart surgical procedure and started advocating for inexpensive healthcare for everybody, placing stress on GOP lawmakers on the time throughout their effort to repeal Obamacare.

That September, he known as out Republican senators like Lindsey Graham, S.C., and Invoice Cassidy, La., for his or her well being care proposal, and he used speaking factors opposing the reform measure despatched from Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Kimmel then drew liberal media plaudits when he used his entire monologue on Oct. 3, 2017, to name for gun management and assault Republicans within the aftermath of the Las Vegas bloodbath. Throughout his remarks, he made a number of deceptive remarks, reminiscent of suggesting semi-automatic rifles — which fireplace one bullet per set off pull and make up the overwhelming majority of rifles in the US –- aren't used in house protection. He accused Republicans who disagreed on the Second Modification of not caring about who lived or died.

"We now have a serious drawback with gun management on this nation, and I suppose they do not care," he mentioned. "And if I am incorrect on that, high-quality, do one thing about it, as a result of I am sick of it. I need this to be a comedy present. I hate speaking about stuff like this."

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Days later, Kimmel spoke candidly in regards to the danger he runs alienating viewers as he turned extra political throughout an interview on "CBS Sunday Morning."

"I need everybody with a tv to look at the present, but when they're so turned off by my opinion on well being care and gun violence, then … I most likely would not need to have a dialog with them anyway." he mentioned.

It did not take lengthy for Kimmel to start out lobbing private assaults. Following the 2018 White Home Easter Egg Roll, Kimmel mocked First Girl Melania Trump's accent after taking part in a clip of her studying a e book to youngsters. To commemorate the midway level of Trump's first time period in 2019, Kimmel had a skit depicting the president's late father Fred Trump in hell and one other skit making lewd jokes about his then-White Home counselor Kellyanne Conway's private life.

In August 2019, Kimmel mocked Trump voters , saying People who assist the president have been "repeatedly punched within the head."

Main as much as the 2020 election cycle, "Jimmy Kimmel Reside!" more and more turned a platform for Democrats, rolling out the pink carpet for presidential hopefuls like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker. Kimmel even handed the keys over to Pete Buttigieg to guest-host his present in March 2020.

He is additionally welcomed different high Democrats through the years, together with Sen. Adam Schiff, Calif., Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., Jasmine Crockett, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, failed Texas senate candidate Beto O'Rouke, and failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

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Jimmy Kimmel's late-night present was pulled off the air by Disney on Sept. 17, 2025. (Randy Holmes/Disney)

Kimmel took flack for peddling a misleading video of then-Vice President Mike Pence, accusing him of carrying "empty" PPE bins at a healthcare facility within the early months of COVID. He was pressured to apologize. In December 2020, Kimmel argued Pence shouldn't get the COVID vaccine after Pence falsely predicted earlier within the pandemic {that a} second wave of the virus would not happen, saying, "The one treatment Mike Pence ought to get proper now could be a bottle of Clorox and a warmth lamp."

Forward of the election, Kimmel urged viewers to vote out Republicans he accused of desirous to intestine pre-existing situation measures in medical insurance legal guidelines. Kimmel celebrated Biden's inauguration in January 2021, saying he personally felt "nice once more" and gushing over the "lovely" ceremony.

Kimmel as soon as advised that over-crowded hospitals should not deal with sufferers who didn't take the COVID vaccine.

"That selection would not appear so robust to me. Vaccinated having a coronary heart assault? Sure, come proper in. We'll care for you. Unvaccinated man who wolfed horse goo, relaxation in peace, wheezy," Kimmel quipped in September 2021.

Final yr, Kimmel performed a pivotal position in shielding Biden's cognitive decline. In February 2024, he fully averted mentioning the Robert Hur report, which revealed the DOJ wouldn't prosecute Biden over his mishandling of labeled paperwork as a result of a jury would discover him being a "sympathetic, well-meaning aged man with a poor reminiscence." In early June, he averted The Wall Avenue Journal report that early June that mentioned Biden was showing "signs of slipping" behind the scenes.

Kimmel emceed the now-infamous Los Angeles fundraiser that was highlighted in "Unique Sin," the place Biden appeared not to have recognized movie star fundraiser co-host George Clooney in an trade backstage. Kimmel may be seen within the viral video of Biden freezing on stage and being escorted away by former President Barack Obama.

On the time, Kimmel insisted there was no there there.

"There is a clip of Joe Biden going round in the present day. They are saying he froze and had to be escorted offstage on Saturday night time. I used to be standing proper subsequent to him when it occurred. He did not freeze. He was simply listening to the individuals calling him within the entrance row," Kimmel informed his viewers earlier than slamming "right-wing media" for "working very onerous to assert Biden's out of it" final June.

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Kimmel famously emceed then-President Joe Biden's LA fundraiser the place he was seen guided off the stage by former President Barack Obama. (Christopher Gardner through Storyful)

The ABC host did, nevertheless, roast conservatives for insisting Biden would get replaced on the Democratic ticket, saying it "virtually is mindless" inside days of Biden's disastrous debate efficiency.

Quick-forward to November, when Kimmel choked up throughout an emotional monologue reacting to Trump's victory.

"Let’s be trustworthy, it was a horrible night time final night time," Kimmel informed his viewers. "It was a horrible night time for ladies, for youngsters, for the tons of of hundreds of hardworking immigrants who make this nation go."

He continued, whereas holding again tears, "Um, for well being care, for our local weather, for science, for journalism, for justice, totally free speech. It was a horrible night time for poor individuals, for the center class, for seniors who depend on social safety. For our allies in Ukraine, for NATO, for the reality and democracy and decency. And it was a horrible night time for everybody who voted in opposition to him, and guess what? It was a nasty night time for everybody who voted for him too. You simply do not understand it but."

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In March of this yr, Kimmel appeared to endorse the vandalizing of Tesla automobiles throughout Elon Musk's stint main the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) for the second Trump administration.

"Individuals have been vandalizing Tesla automobiles, new Tesla automobiles. Please, do not vandalize, don’t ever vandalize Tesla automobiles," Kimmel mentioned, trying on the digicam and pausing to seemingly emphasize his sarcasm.

In June, Kimmel participated within the "No Kings" protests that have been held nationwide.

"An enormous, inspiring and sure - peaceable - turnout within the South Bay. I met many individuals who love this nation and nonetheless imagine it to be a power for good. I'm grateful to see so many People take motion to face up for our mates and neighbors, most of all, my mother and father. I understand how lucky I'm to have been born right into a household that taught me to care about others and that a very powerful phrases ever spoken are ‘Love each other.’ It actually is so simple as that," Kimmel posted on Instagram.

He posted a photo of a shirt that he wore for the protest as effectively, which learn "Make America Good Once more," and informed his followers, "See you on the market."

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"Jimmy Kimmel Reside!" got here to a screeching halt on Wednesday following rising backlash in opposition to Kimmel over feedback he made in regards to the assassination of Charlie Kirk .

On Monday, Kimmel advised the alleged murderer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was part of the "MAGA gang" regardless of experiences he had a left-wing ideology, which was later reaffirmed in Tuesday's indictment.

"We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately making an attempt to characterize this child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something aside from one in every of them and doing every little thing they'll to attain political factors from it," Kimmel informed his viewers.

He additionally mocked Trump over an trade he had with a reporter about Kirk's loss of life, saying, "This isn't how an grownup grieves the homicide of someone he known as a good friend. That is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?"

Disney was dealing with mounting stress from ABC affiliate stations across the nation in addition to the Federal Communications Fee (FCC) over its dealing with of Kimmel. The corporate finally determined it might preempt his present "indefinitely."

Whereas Kimmel's future at ABC stays unsure, his viewership doesn't bode effectively for him. Over the previous decade, "Jimmy Kimmel Reside!" misplaced 40% of its complete viewers, falling from a mean of two.4 million viewers in 2015 to 1.6 million in 2025. It is even worse among the many advertiser-coveted demo ages 25-54, going from almost 1 million of them in 2015 to simply 261,000 in 2025, a staggering 72% drop.

Throughout a 2022 interview, Kimmel admitted his fan base took a hit for his anti-Trump obsession, and shrugged off considerations from his ABC bosses who wished him to tamp it down.

"I simply mentioned, ‘Pay attention, if that’s what you need to do, I perceive, and I don’t begrudge you for it, however I’m not going to try this,’" Kimmel mentioned. "‘So, you realize, if you need someone else to host the present, then that’s high-quality. That’s OK with me. I’m simply not going to do it like that.’"

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Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story ideas may be despatched to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.