AFTER RECEIVING AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM THE ACLU AND 400 CELEBRITIES, JIMMY KIMMEL RETURNS TO AIR
After his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, was cancelled by ABC's parent company, Disney, last week due to pressure from the Trump Administration, late-night TV star Jimmy Kimmel made a comeback last night. He conveyed his sincere appreciation for the support from people of all political persuasions and backgrounds in his introductory remarks.
Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, and other late-night hosts used their platforms to criticise Disney for suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Kimmel praised them for doing so. Additionally, he complimented his audience for speaking out against the situation, as many of them cancelled their Hulu and Disney+ subscriptions, which caused the website to break down. Most importantly, though, Kimmel praised individuals who attended his show despite not being fans. "Maybe most importantly, I would like to express my gratitude to those who oppose my show and my values but yet support my ability to express them," he stated.
Kimmel's fellow performers provided some of the most forceful support. An open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) earlier this week, co-signed by 400 actors, musicians, and directors, called on citizens to resist government attacks on their right to free speech. According to the letter, "leaders' attempts to retaliate against artists, journalists, and businesses for their speech go right to the core of what it means to live in a free nation. "Our administration has threatened the livelihoods of journalists, talk show presenters, artists, creatives, and entertainers in general in an effort to quiet its critics. This goes against the principles upon which our country was founded and which our Constitution upholds.
Prominent individuals like Robert De Niro, Maya Rudolph, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks were among the co-signers. Some are top-tier artists whose work is either created by Disney or associated with the company. These include Lin-Manuel Miranda (Moana, Encanto), Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building), and Olivia Rodrigo, who did not attend the red carpet for the Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery documentary, which will be available on Hulu.
Despite the overwhelming support he received, Kimmel was careful to emphasise that the First Amendment was being protected, not him. "I don't want to take centre stage here. This show isn't significant. The fact that we are fortunate enough to live in a nation that permits such a program is what matters.” Kimmel said. “Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country. And that’s something I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen [Colbert] off the air and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air. That’s not legal. That’s not American. That is un-American.”