ABC ‘Sticking By’ Jimmy Kimmel, No Plans to Fire Host Following Melania Trump’s Criticism: Report

ABC Network supports Jimmy Kimmel despite calls for his dismissal by the Trumps over controversial joke

AFP News

The ABC network finds itself at the centre of a public dispute involving the Trumps and Jimmy Kimmel. First Lady Melania Trump has criticised Kimmel, calling his ‘expectant widow’ joke a ‘hateful and violent rhetoric.’ Meanwhile, President Donald Trump encouraged the network to sack Kimmel.

Despite a direct call to terminate one of its most prominent hosts, the broadcasting giant appears to be maintaining its current roster. According to an insider, ABC is keeping Kimmel despite the first couple’s call-out.

ABC Network Declines to Remove Host Following Political Pressure

ABC has reportedly decided to stand by its longtime star, Jimmy Kimmel, following public calls for his dismissal. According to a Page Six report, the network currently has no plans to ‘fire him.’

An ABC source spoke with Page Six and said the network “is sticking by” Kimmel and they ‘don’t plan to suspend him, fire him, or cancel the show.

The tipster continued saying that they are ‘back to taping per usual.’ ‘They’re moving on,’ the source added.

The controversy started from Kimmel’s joke in his monologue three days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. In one scene, he mimicked the gala’s format and pretended to be the host. ‘Our first lady Melania is here,’ Kimmel said. ‘So beautiful, Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.’ However, his joke turned out to be foretelling after a shooting incident happened at the event.

ABC’s decision comes in the wake of an explicit request from both Melania Trump and President Donald Trump to sever ties with the comedian. ABC’s decision to keep Kimmel despite calls from the president and first lady suggests the network sees ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ as a key part of its lineup.

Melania Trump Condemns Hateful and Violent Rhetoric on Social Media

The controversy escalated on Monday when Melania Trump took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her deep disapproval of Kimmel’s recent monologue. She specifically targeted the comedian for what she described as ‘hateful and violent rhetoric.’ The First Lady argued that such language is inappropriate and contributes to a toxic public discourse.

‘People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,’ she added.

The FLOTUS has had enough and encouraged ‘ABC to take a stand.’ She also questioned the network’s ethics, accusing ABC of protecting a host who uses his platform to target individuals unfairly.

‘How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community,’ she concluded.

President Donald Trump supported his wife. In a separate post on Truth Social, he also called out ABC to fire Kimmel. The POTUS said Kimmel ‘is in no way funny’ and acknowledged public support, which also disapproved of Kimmel’s joke.

‘Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,’ Trump added.

Kimmel Defends Satirical Sketch as a ‘ Light Roast’ On Age

Addressing the backlash on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ the comedian defended his monologue as standard political satire. He explained that the original joke was intended as a ‘light roast’ regarding the 23-year age difference between the president and the first lady.

It was ‘a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s [President Trump] almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,’ the comedian explained. He also firmly rejected the notion that his words were an incitement to violence or an assassination call, noting he has long spoken out against ‘gun violence.’

‘It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination and they know that, I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular,’ Kimmel continued. ‘I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject, I think a great place to start to dial that back is having a conversation with your husband about it.’