Late note comedy host Jimmy Kimmel told CBS' Sunday Morning that he does not mind if Republican viewers turn off his show in response to his increasingly political content on ABC's hit show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
"If they're so turned off by my opinion on healthcare and gun violence then, I don't know, I probably wouldn't want to have a conversation with them anyway..Not good riddance, but riddance."
Kimmel is the second television comedic star this weekend to show his need, or lack there of, for conservative viewers to tune in to his show. Seth Meyers, host of Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC, piggy-backed off rappers Eminem's anti-Trump credo with a jingle of his own as Matt Vespa reported yesterday.
Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's Tonight Show, however explained why he does not make political jokes and commentary on his show earlier this week.
Perhaps Jimmy Fallon's idea to stray away from the political ray. As the Washington Examiner reported last week, viewership for late night TV on ABC, CBS, and NBC is down across the board. For example, two weeks ago the three networks brought in 6 million viewers combined. Jay Leno, former NBC host, used to bring in 8 million viewers all on his own.
As conservative commentators have noted, the problem is that when comedy hosts try and and become political, it's not simply a hat you can take off. Your credibility and intent is questioned. Take for instance Kimmel's very few lack of jokes or commentary about Harvey Weinstein because he said he is not "America's conscience". On this subject, Guy Benson had this to say:
Well, you could have fooled us, Jim. It really seemed like you were supremely comfortable with serving as the country's self-appointed moral conscience as you agitated against Obamacare repeal (having admitted to never meeting any of the millions who've been harmed by the law) by literally reading Democratic talking points -- all to great media acclaim. And you appeared mighty fine with scolding Republicans on gun control, smearing Second Amendment advocates as somehow complicit in the Las Vegas massacre. Given this sobering, complicating reality check from Dianne Feinstein, I was half expecting you to primary her from the left out there in California. But what's this? Are you suddenly surrendering your mantle as High Priest of Moral Rectitude and Wokeness all because you're hesitant to go nuclear on your buddy whose grubby fingerprints are all over the industry in which you make your lavish living (and also unwilling women's bodies)?
Kimmel had to be dragged, kicking and screaming into targeting Weinstein by Donald Trump, Jr. -- following two full shows of silence. Why is this professional comedian (and others) still soft-pedaling the topic? Is there no ridicule-worthy content in a man whose employment contract basically allowed for sexual harassment, so long as he paid fines to the board, whose members are now feigning terrible shock over his long history predatory abuses? And who's reportedly planning to challenge his termination as wrongful? Nothing to skewer here, amirite, Jimmer?