Former Tonight Show veteran Jay Leno has offered his views on late-night funny man Jimmy Kimmel’s indefinite suspension.
The latter’s installment was dropped abruptly when Nexstar, which is in charge of at least 23 ABC affiliates, refused to carry the show after calling Kimmel’s remarks on Charlie Kirk’s assassination “offensive and insensitive.”
Highlights
- Jay Leno tells reporters Kimmel is “a talented guy” who will bounce back.
- He suggested Nexstar and the FCC aren’t as powerful as they project themselves to be.
- Leno invokes American Founding Father Patrick Henry to defend free speech.
Donald Trump has since also weighed in on the comic’s cancellation, calling for Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon to follow suit.
Jay Leno thinks Jimmy Kimmel will bounce back
Image credits: Access Hollywood/YouTube
Attending the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony for Fox’s Chris Wallace on Thursday, September 18, Leno, who hosted NBC’s Tonight Show from 1992 to 2009, spoke to reporters.
“I think Jimmy will land on his feet, he’s a talented guy, he’s funny and let’s see what happens,” the 75-year-old said.
“He may be back on in just a couple of weeks again, so we’ll see,” he continued.
Leno suggested that Nexstar and Trump-installed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chief, Brendan Carr, did not pack as much sway as they were projecting when he said:
Image credits: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
“It’s a comedian talking, if you don’t like it, don’t watch it, I mean … let the people decide. If the people like his show, it stays on the air, I mean, it’s as simple as that.”
Leno believes that Kimmel’s reinstatement would be characteristic of a “free society”
He then advocated for free speech, citing words said by one of America’s founding fathers.
“You know Patrick Henry said it best, ‘Give me speech or give me d*ath,’ that was the first go around with this argument.”
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live
“It’s been going on for 200 years and in a free society, it’ll go on for another 200.”
Leno dived deeper still when he highlighted the political discourse surrounding Charlie Kirk’s demise.
He claimed the country had hit a new low and that there was cognitive dissonance along with much “finger pointing,” as to which side of the aisle Tyler Robinson hailed from.
Jimmy Kimmel, however, remains unapologetic
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
The news comes after a September 17 report by Deadline that Kimmel was adamantly unapologetic about his comments.
A source told the outlet that Kimmel and Disney Co-Chairman Dana Walden had a “thoughtful conversation” in which “both sides were very businesslike and polite.”
“Kimmel made it clear he was unwilling to apologize for his remarks,” the outlet reported, “and was going to direct the focus on President Trump’s supporters.”
Image credits: Access Hollywood/YouTube
His stance comes despite Carr’s statement on the Benny Johnson Podcast, which described Kimmel as “truly sick” along with threats to hold Disney liable for disinformation.
Donald Trump weighed in on the news that Kimmel had been cancelled
Kimmel’s apparent infraction transpired on Monday, September 15, when he said, “The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who [assassinated] Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
Image credits: Forbes Breaking News/YouTube
When the news broke that Kimmel had been cancelled, Trump shared a celebratory post on his Truth social media platform.
“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” he wrote.
He went on to say that Kimmel had “ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.”
Trump went on to call for the sacking of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers
Image credits: NBC/Getty Images
“That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC,” the President added.
Leno’s input on Kimmel’s purging has some audiences nostalgic.
“Ever since Jay Leno retired, late night comedy has become left wing talking points,” wrote one such person.
“Late night comedy was supposed to be just that late night comedy,” argued another with similar views.
Image credits: Variety
“But over the last several years, these so-called late-night comedy hosts have turned it into a political bashing, and that’s the problem so they are no longer funny with plummeting ratings.”
Leno’s support comes 15 years after Kimmel was seen to humiliate him on his own show
Leno’s positive stance on Kimmel comes years after the latter was seen to humiliate him on his show in 2010.
Image credits: Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Kimmel took a stab at a sensitive time in his career when O’Brien was prepped to take Leno’s slot without him knowing.
Leno told the Hollywood reporter seven years later that the two had buried the hatchet:
“Jay and I have made peace. After my son had his operation, he called me and he was very nice.”
Jay Leno, some are saying, was smart enough to leave politics out of his show
