ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel began his program Thursday evening bashing the Fox News Network.
After mocking Megyn Kelly and contributor Monica Crowley for claiming that the historical figures Santa Claus and Jesus Christ were white, he presented a trailer for a Fox News version of “It’s a Wonderful Life” wherein Henry Potter is the hero trying to preserve Bedford Falls as an example of free market capitalism against the wishes of the evil, draft-dodging, communist George Bailey (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
Kimmel began by mocking those that believe there’s a liberal war on Christmas, and then addressed the brouhaha over Slate’s article about it being racist for Santa Claus to be an old white guy.
A clip of Fox News’s Kelly File was then played featuring Kelly offering her opinion on the subject.
Kimmel like so many others apparently is clueless about the derivation of Santa Claus, for after the clip he mocked, “Right. All fictional people are white. It's in the Bible. Santa just is white. Like Christmas, it’s White Christmas.”
Next, Kimmel played a clip of Crowley which included her saying, “You can't take facts and then try to change them to fit some sort of a political agenda or sensitivity agenda.”
“You can't?” asked Kimmel at the clip’s conclusion. “I thought that was the Fox News business model.”
Kimmel laughed, as did his equally clueless audience.
But the best was yet to come as Kimmel introduced the trailer for Fox News’s “version” of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
As the video began, an announcer said, “This Christmas, rediscover the heartwarming story of the sleepy, economically backwards town of Bedford Falls, and its one extraordinary citizen, Henry Potter.”
“I may lose a fortune, but I am willing to guarantee your people, too,” Potter said speaking into a phone.
As video of the corrupt and sleazy Bedford Falls without George Bailey was shown, the announcer said, “This capitalist had a dream: to transform Bedford Falls into a modern entertainment and business mecca, creating hundreds of new jobs.”
With a crazed-looking George on the screen about to jump in the river in the fateful scene, the announcer said, “But one man would stand in his way: Draft-dodger George Bailey and his socialist Building and Loan. Will Henry Potter's common sense reforms win the day, or will George Bailey succeed with his scheme to redistribute wealth?”
“How far will Bailey go to destroy free markets and economic progress?” asked the announcer. “How low will he sink?”
“This Christmas, enjoy a classic as it was meant to be understood. Fox News presents, “Mr. Potter and the Commies of Bedford Falls.”
Now I have to admit that I found this tremendously funny, but would think it far more so if Kimmel and his audience didn’t believe that this is indeed the way people at Fox News – and, more importantly, conservatives in general – view the world, and that we on the right really do watch this wonderful film hoping that Potter wins.
Maybe Kimmel and his staff should spend Christmas with conservatives to find out that we’re cheering for George, too.
(HT Mediaite)
