Jimmy Kimmel received a Peabody Award last night, and he used his acceptance speech to create one of the most boldly defiant moments in American comedy history. Standing with journalists who revealed the harsh realities of Trump administration’s immigration policies and prison mistreatment, a teacher who challenged Putin, and filmmakers documenting the Vietnam War protests, Kimmel began with his usual self-mockery:
“I’ve never felt as foolish as I do right now, sharing the stage with these incredible people who highlight the horrors of ICE, prison abuses, and protests against the Vietnam War, a teacher who stood up to Putin.
I’ve called our president names like Fatty Shack, Blob the Builder, Liger Woods, and the Hungry Hungry Hypocrite. Our fondling father, Mara Lardo. Nelson Tandela. And Nostra Dumbass. And somehow, we ended up winning a Peabody for that.”
But then Kimmel shifted to a serious tone, and the audience became silent.
“Making jokes about the president in America shouldn’t earn you an award,” he stated.
“We have the right, protected by the Constitution, to criticize and mock our leaders. This is a right that many of us often overlook. I certainly took it for granted for the first 57 years of my life until last September when the FCC gave me a very unpleasant surprise.”
Trump’s FCC head, Brendan Carr, began an investigation into Kimmel last year as part of the administration’s effort to use federal regulators against media critics, which led to ABC/Disney temporarily canceling Kimmel’s show.
However, Kimmel said what happened next shocked him even more than the attack itself.
“I saw millions of people, even some from the other political side, speak out.
They protested. They canceled their subscriptions to Star Wars because they wouldn’t let our freedoms be trampled like the East Wing of the White House. You sent a message that we care, that we will stand up, and that we will not remain silent when comedy, journalism, and dissent are censored, regulated, and criminalized.”
He concluded with a list of thank-yous that will be remembered: “Thank you to Donald Trump, our commander-in-thief, Abriscam Lincoln, Orange Julius Caesar, Greedy McGolfy, Dopey McGropy, and Pumpkin McPornhumper.
Thank you for motivating us to fight for our freedom of speech.”
The First Amendment is not up for debate, and neither is Jimmy Kimmel.
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