ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel welcomed California Sen. Adam Schiff to his Thursday show for some liberal group therapy. The theme of the interview was that Kimmel would put the ball on the tee for Schiff, who would then say things like Democrats have to fight against the “dictator wannabees,” that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have a “certain arsonist's glee,” and that Trump can “go [bleep] himself.”
One of Kimmel’s setups was, “At this point, are you surprised by anything?”
Schiff claimed, “I am surprised just how quickly they have created a climate of fear. I wouldn't have thought it possible. But by going after universities, they're intimidating other universities. By going after certain press organizations, they're causing others to self-censor.”
He further added, “I would not have thought it possible to so quickly create that climate of fear. And we have to band together. We have to speak out. We have to push back. We have to show courage. The dictator wannabees, this is part of their playbook. And the only way to defeat it is by standing strong and saying, basically, ‘Screw you, I won't be intimidated.’”
Kimmel also wondered, “Today, they seemed to have caught hundreds of millions of dollars in money that was supposed to go to food banks, for school lunches, and for people who are hungry. What is the thinking behind that? Like, why?”
With no sense of irony considering all the vandalism and arsons against Tesla happening throughout the country, Schiff declared, “The main thrust of it is they want to make all these cuts so they can take the money that they're supposedly saving and plow it into a tax cut for big corporations and wealthy people. That's sort of the central animating purpose of the Elon Musks and Donald Trumps and their crowd. But there's also a certain arsonist's glee about watching things burn.”
Schiff also insisted, “I think the cruelty is not an accident. I think part of it, the cruelty, is the objective. And this is what's going to bring them down. The corruption will bring them down. The cruelty will bring them down. This is not who we are as a country.”
Later in their interview, Kimmel ran off several nicknames Trump has given Schiff including “Pencil Neck,” which he didn’t understand, “Your neck size seems very normal to me, you know?”
Schiff responded, “I'm getting the impression he doesn't like me very much. But, you know I'm a good Democrat, so my view, of course, is when they go low, we go high. He can go [bleep] himself.”
Kimmel concluded by thanking Schiff not just for appearing on the show but, “for what you're doing. As much as I guess can be done. Senator Adam Schiff, everybody.”
Earlier in the show, during his monologue, Kimmel also took on Trump’s decision to shutter the Department of Education, “According to the annual World Happiness Report, Americans are less happy than ever. The U.S. now ranks 24th on the happiest list. They say it is our lowest ranking since they've been measuring…. This chart shows the level of American happiness; look, it looks like it looks like the Tesla stock price. But our president has a plan to change that all. They say ignorance is bliss? And today Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.”
Kimmel proceeded to equate the Department of Education with education itself, “I know it sounds like a joke, but it's not. Trump famously said he loves the poorly educated, and now he will have so many more people to love. Trump signed the order during an event at the White House. They invited a group of children to attend. They’re like ‘Hey, kids who hates school?’ and they’re like ‘Well, we do’ and they said ‘Good news, it's over.’”
Federalism also didn’t appeal to Kimmel, “The idea behind this is to let the states come up with their own educational standards. For instance, from here on, in order to receive a high school diploma in Florida, all you have to do is complete the maze on the back of the kids' menu at Fuddruckers.”
With logic like that, it is no wonder Democratic politicians feel so at home on the late night shows.
Here is a transcript for the March 20 show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
3/20/2025
11:36 PM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: According to the annual World Happiness Report, Americans are less happy than ever. The U.S. now ranks 24th on the happiest list. They say it is our lowest ranking since they've been measuring. Yeah, no [bleep]. Why are you even ranking us? Leave us alone! Are you happy? I'll kill you, that's how happy I am. Finland was the happiest. Followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. This chart shows the level of American happiness; look, it looks like it looks like the Tesla stock price. But our president has a plan to change that all. They say ignorance is bliss? And today Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.
I know it sounds like a joke, but it's not. Trump famously said he loves the poorly educated, and now he will have so many more people to love. Trump signed the order during an event at the White House. They invited a group of children to attend. They’re like "Hey, kids who hates school?” and they’re like “Well, we do” and they said “Good news, it's over."
The idea behind this is to let the states come up with their own educational standards. For instance, from here on, in order to receive a high school diploma in Florida, all you have to do is complete the maze on the back of the kids' menu at Fuddruckers.
…
KIMMEL: Did you thank President Trump for all the water, for the spigot that he turned to send the water down the state?
ADAM SCHIFF: Thank you was not exactly the two words -- one of the two was the same.
KIMMEL: Are you ever -- at this point, are you surprised by anything?
SCHIFF: I am surprised just how quickly they have created a climate of fear. I wouldn't have thought it possible. But by going after universities, they're intimidating other universities. By going after certain press organizations, they're causing others to self-censor. By going after certain law firms, they're causing other lawyers to not want to take cases if they think it will be retaliated against by the administration.
Companies, you know, toeing a Trumpian line because they're worried about losing government contracts. I would not have thought it possible to so quickly create that climate of fear. And we have to band together. We have to speak out. We have to push back. We have to show courage. The dictator wannabees, this is part of their playbook. And the only way to defeat it is by standing strong and saying, basically, "Screw you, I won't be intimidated."
KIMMEL: Today, they seemed to have caught hundreds of millions of dollars in money that was supposed to go to food banks, for school lunches, and for people who are hungry. What is the thinking behind that? Like, why?
SCHIFF: You know -- part of it is -- really, the main thrust of it is they want to make all these cuts so they can take the money that they're supposedly saving and plow it into a tax cut for big corporations and wealthy people. That's sort of the central animating purpose of the Elon Musks and Donald Trumps and their crowd. But there's also a certain arsonist's glee about watching things burn.
So, part of this -- I think the cruelty is not an accident. I think part of it, the cruelty, is the objective. And this is what's going to bring them down. The corruption will bring them down. The cruelty will bring them down. This is not who we are as a country.
But in addition to, you know, their own self-defeating, internal, ugly politics, the Democratic Party needs to get its act together. We need to have an affirmative case we're making. We need to answer the question that so many millions of Americans are asking, which is, if you're working hard in this country, can you still earn a good living for yourself and your family? We need to be able to answer that central question. I think the key to it is by getting things done again and moving the country forward. We can't be reliant on them to self-destruct, although they will. We have to offer something positive.
…
KIMMEL: Your neck size seems very normal to me, you know?
SCHIFF: I'm getting the impression he doesn't like me very much.
KIMMEL: Yeah, he doesn't.
SCHIFF: But, you know I'm a good Democrat, so my view, of course, is, when they go low, we go high. He can go [bleep] himself.
KIMMEL: Thanks for what you're doing. As much as I guess can be done. Senator Adam Schiff, everybody.
