From Oscar-envelope SNAFUs, LA wildfire evacuations, real-time tweet attacks from Donald Trump and advocating for his own son and other children’s healthcare, Jimmy Kimmel has more than met the moment many times over the years.
Still, with the ABC late-night host’s return tonight after a weeklong benching …well, as longtime nemesis Trump said on a May 2016 visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live!: “You never know what’s going to happen.”
Well, with renewed threats against the Disney-owned network from Trump tonight after the show was taped, and affiliate owners Sinclair and Nexstar still not showing Live! even though ABC brought it back, an initially cosplaying Kimmel (Google it) more than met the moment Tuesday — like we kinda knew he would.
Welcomed by a standing ovation and chants of “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy!” from his studio audience, and revealing news of a German job offer, Kimmel started off with a nod to the great Jack Parr’s return to the air after a corporate run-in of his own in 1960. Warming up, he thanked his fellow late-night hosts past and present, his fans and fans, of free speech like “even my old pal Ted Cruz.”
Yet, for all the anger and backlash for many different reasons around Kimmel’s suspension by Disney brass Bob Iger and Dana Walden over remarks he made September 15 about Trump and MAGA‘s response to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the longtime host’s deft decision Tuesday was to speak to the conservative activist’s grieving family and the big picture in America right now.
Oh, and never forgetting Live! is late-night comedy, Kimmel turned the spotlight of free speech on Trump and his real-life FCC chair Brendon Carr by quoting and showing their own words and actions, contradictions and all. In addition, Kimmel got some hilarious help and cultural Kevlar from Robert De Niro as the new sycophantic head of the FCC to seal the deal — cause that’s how the pros do it.
Saying it all as only the Oscar winner and deep-seated Trump critic can, De Niro went straight into regulatory character to hit all the right notes.
“It’s just me Jimmy the chairman of the FCC, gently suggesting that you gently shut the f*ck up,” De Niro declared in the pre-taped bit. “But you can’t say that, that’s a violation of free speech,” Kimmel protested. “Oh, yeah, about that speech? It ain’t free no more,” De Niro replied, making it perfectly clear what was on the table.
Was it the greatest late-night show ever? No. Was it the greatest TV comeback ever? No. Was Kimmel weakened for not coming out screaming that he was leaving ABC for the greener and likely less restrained pastures of Netflix or YouTube? Not at all. Kimmel has been doing late-night a long long time, decades in fact, and he knows that the way you win is playing the long long game — which is what we saw, as we have from him numerous times before.
If you were expecting an apology, this wasn’t the comeback where you were going to get it. Kimmel’s knee did not hit the studio floor Tuesday. Also, if you couldn’t watch because you lived in one of those markets ruled by Sinclair and Nexstar, Kimmel had some advice — hint: streaming.
In a sweeter extra to the whole thing, Trump’s outdated shivs of Kimmel having low ratings are going to look even more tin-eared in the next day or so when the numbers come in — even with nearly 20% of ABC’s linear reach off limits thanks to Nexstar and Sinclair’s childish continued preemptions.
One-liners, a hug from Guillermo and defending the First Amendment aside, there was, as one would expect after a week in which a late-night host going dark put where America is now in stark perspective, some tears Tuesday. In that vein, Kimmel’s voice broke a few times, especially when speaking of widow and now Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk for the undeniable grace and forgiveness she displayed this past weekend towards the man who killed her husband. Kimmel’s own grace under pressure was on display with his dedication to his craft and POV.
There was also a talk show to put on and the Live! team did just that tonight too.
Glen Powell was on to talk to Kimmel at the desk and charmingly promote his new September 30-debuting Hulu football series Chad Powers. Hot off pulling the plug on performances at the September 21 premiere of ABC News and Hulu’s Lilith Fair documentary in solidarity with Kimmel and his show, Sarah McLachlan provided the tunes tonight with something from her new album Broken Better. There was anticipation that the often outspoken songwriter would say something, as she did just a few days ago at they Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery screening, but, like the pro she is, McLachlan stuck to the task at hand and saw the bigger picture.
That ethos, after the necessary points were made, was at the heart of tonight’s Live! to everyone credit — and probably to ABC, Disney, Iger and Walden’s relief. That became all the more stark after Trump went online Tuesday after the slightly late-running show was taped and before it aired on the East Coast, huffing and puffing as usual.
“I think we’re going to test ABC out on this,” Trump wrote, handing Iger and Walden a redemption in so many ways. “Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers!”
“I think we’ll see you tomorrow, good night,” the clearly winning Kimmel said at the end of tonight’s show. To that, Ethan Hawke and Abbott Elementary’s Lisa Ann Walters are the scheduled Live! tomorrow, with Yungblud as the musical guest — cause that’s how the pros do it.
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