Jimmy Kimmel, a late-night host notorious for his seething contempt for President Donald Trump, recently stumbled onto a rare moment of clarity regarding the president.
In a Rolling Stone interview, he accurately and precisely pinpointed a key reason behind Trump’s roaring political success.
Kimmel acknowledged that cancel culture was a key issue that has fueled Trump’s rise.
“I don’t think anybody should be canceled. I really don’t,” he said, even going so far as to admit that liberals attacking comedians over jokes has driven voters to Trump.
As shocking as it is to hear that from Kimmel, it’s almost more shocking to type: He’s not wrong. Rampant cancel culture over the past decade has made people hypersensitive, with jokes — oftentimes meant to offend at least a little — becoming grounds for exile.
Trump, seemingly uncancelable, thrives in this sort of climate.
The backlash against comedians like Dave Chappelle for “offensive” humor has pushed many toward Trump’s unapologetic style. A 2024 Cato Institute study showed 62 percent of Americans fear expressing opinions due to cancellation.
Trump’s resilience against cancellation resonates with those tired of walking on eggshells. His 2024 landslide victory over Kamala Harris proved this, with America rejecting political correctness for raw authenticity.
Kimmel got this part right: The left’s obsession with policing speech has spectacularly backfired. People naturally crave freedom to laugh, speak, and offend without fear of stupidly vindictive retribution.
But here’s where Kimmel veers off. Despite nailing this reason, his Rolling Stone interview reveals he’s still a flaming liberal, clueless about the broader picture.
“Listen, when O.J. was found not guilty, I was just absolutely shocked,” Kimmel said. “I had that same feeling. I had this faith in America that was shaken, and I still am not over it.
“I thought that when it comes down to it, this country, we do the right thing. That’s obviously in the past.”
Kimmel clearly understands part of why Trump won, but his brain/heart/leftism won’t let him accept it.
This quote exposes his disconnect. He sees the symptom — cancel culture — but misses the cure: Americans rejecting progressive overreach for Trump’s no-nonsense approach.
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Kimmel’s still stuck in the past, believing America should align with his liberal ideals. He can’t grasp that voters prioritized economic promises and border security over “doing the right thing” by his standards.
Trump’s win wasn’t just about comedy or cancel culture. It was about the rampant, out-of-control inflation of the Joe Biden administration.
Kimmel also ignores Trump’s appeal to working-class voters, his staunch support for protecting the sanctity of women’s sports, and the fact that the president is actually putting Americans first in the face of foes like China.
Unsurprisingly, those are all parts of what built Trump’s winning presidential campaign.
The host’s blind spot is glaring. He rails against cancel culture, but still pushes the left’s narrative, mocking Trump’s policies while ignoring their voter appeal.
Kimmel’s late-night shtick — if you can even call it that at this point — hasn’t evolved. It’s why his ratings aren’t even worth mentioning in comparison to, say, Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld.
His interview shows a man torn: Aware of cancel culture’s role in Trump’s success, yet unable to shed his liberal bias. He’s so close to understanding, yet so far from reality.
Kimmel might decry cancellation, but he’s still part of the elite bubble that fuels it. His peers at ABC canceled shows like “Roseanne” for less, after all.
Trump’s victory proves people want authenticity, not sanctimony. Kimmel’s half-right epiphany can’t mask his broader fundamental misunderstanding of America’s pulse.
If Kimmel really opposes cancellation, he should rethink his own attacks on Trump. Until then, he remains a liberal caricature, and little more.
So close, Jimmy, yet so far. You nailed one reason Trump’s winning — cancel culture’s insanity — but you’re still clueless about the rest.
America’s moved on, even if you haven’t.