During the opening monologue of his eponymous ABC late-night comedy show Wednesday, Jimmy Kimmel crudely joked that President Trump could shoot dead one of the three co-hosts on the Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends and still have the other two’s full support.
“Those three on Fox & Friends, Trump could shoot one in the heart live on the air, the surviving two would still defend Donald Trump,” Kimmel joked to the delight of his liberal audience. And yes, this was in reference to Trump's own joke about being able to shoot someone on New York City and not lose some of his supporters.
Kimmel had just played a clip from CNN contributor Michael Weiss knocking Republicans when he introduced one from Wednesday’s Fox & Friends, stating that the show “did everything possible to put a positive spin on what many believe was an obstruction of justice.”
Here’s the Fox & Friends exchange that aired:
STEVE DOOCY: Regarding Michael Flynn, he said, I hope you can let this go. Now, some people are saying, well, clearly he's ordering the FBI Director to end the investigation. You know, some people are saying, does it rise to the level of obstruction of justice? Not so fast.
AINSLEY EARHARDT: Because you're saying the word “hope” is the operative word here. I hope you can let it go. He’s not directing him to let it go.
BRIAN KILMEADE: Yeah, he said he's a good guy, I hope you can let it go.
Withe the audience giggling, Kimmel took to mocking the intelligence of Doocy, Earhardt, and Kilmeade. The supposedly warm-hearted comic spoke in a sarcastic tone as he took a swipe at one of Fox’s lead female anchors, insinuating that she’s not smart:
Right. He said I hope. That's not illegal, if you say hope. When Obama said hope nobody impeached him. They put it on his poster. All Trump said is “I hope you can let it go.” Maybe he was singing the song from Frozen, we don't know.
Of course, the audience applauded this mockery of a female news host. If this were done to an MSNBC host or any woman on the “big three” networks, it’s fair to say the response would be different.
The deadly and supposed punchline then arrived: “Those three on Fox & Friends, Trump could shoot one in the heart live on the air, the surviving two would still defend Donald Trump.”
But remember, everyone, Kimmel is supposed to be the sober, “blue collar” comedian who’s compassion is unrivaled in light of his health care remarks.
It’s no secret that the President loves watching Fox & Friends and enjoys both a friendly audience and hosts whenever he’s appeared there. Again, it's 100 percent evident Kimmel's joke was done in reference to one Trump himself made during the campaign. That being said, a joke about a host being killed is something else entirely.
Taken all together, it’s hard to see how any of this lunacy put forth in the last month by the liberal media could hold water after Kimmel uttered this. There’s nothing patriotic or level of gratitude worth exhibiting toward hosts who go this far in ridiculing those they disagree with.
Here’s the relevant portion of the transcript from ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live on May 17:
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live
May 17, 201711:38 p.m. Eastern
MICHAEL WEISS [on CNN Tonight, 05/17/17]: I’m seeing all the Trumpkin Republicans, many of them I used the respect by the way, I thought they stood on principal about going after Obama, on the Middle East and policy. Now, they're saying, well, the real problem is not that Trump might have blown an Israeli spy — meaning he might have blown his cover that is.
[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
JIMMY KIMMEL: My God. This President will do anything to stop those leaks. That was on CNN. Of course, the coverage was more fair and tilted towards Trump on Fox. This morning on Fox & Friends, they did everything possible to put a positive spin on what many believe was an obstruction of justice.
STEVE DOOCY [on Fox & Friends, 05/17/17]: Regarding Michael Flynn, he said, I hope you can let this go. Now, some people are saying, well, clearly he's ordering the FBI Director to end the investigation. You know, some people are saying, does it rise to the level of obstruction of justice? Not so fast.
AINSLEY EARHARDT [on Fox & Friends, 05/17/17]: Because you're saying the word “hope” is the operative word here. I hope you can let it go. He’s not directing him to let it go.
BRIAN KILMEADE [on Fox & Friends, 05/17/17]: Yeah, he said he's a good guy, I hope you can let it go.
KIMMEL: Right. He said I hope. That's not illegal, if you say hope. When Obama said hope nobody impeached him. They put it on his poster. [APPLAUSE] All Trump said is “I hope you can let it go.” Maybe he was singing the song from Frozen, we don't know. Those three on Fox & Friends, Trump could shoot one in the heart live on the air, the surviving two would still defend Donald Trump. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
