Bill Maher Expresses Sympathy for Jimmy Kimmel Following Cancellation
On his show “Real Time,” Bill Maher showed support for Jimmy Kimmel, reflecting on his own experience with ABC. He mentioned how it’s been 24 years since he was let go from the network, noting, “Jimmy Kimmel took my slot.” He added, rather humorously, that his cancellation happened before the whole culture of cancellations really took off.
Maher went on to critique ABC, saying it seems they’re always giving in. “ABC, they’re stable. ABC stands for ‘Always Be Caving.’ So Jimmy, I’m with you. I’ll support you. And hey, at least you don’t have to pretend to like Disneyland anymore,” he quipped.
He recalled his own past on ABC when he hosted “Politically Incorrect,” which was canceled in 2002 after a controversial statement he made shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
In discussing Kimmel’s recent situation, Maher commented on Kimmel being pulled off the air after linking a defendant to being a Trump supporter. Maher distanced himself from that viewpoint, stating, “I didn’t think what he said was right at all. But he shouldn’t lose his job for that!” He expressed confusion over the defendant’s affiliations, saying that it’s reckless to categorize such individuals based on their actions.
Maher had a recently heated exchange with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro regarding political ideology and violence. Before concluding his monologue, he delivered a message to Kimmel: “You’ve done a big, funny show over the course of 20 years, and you should be proud of it. If this cancellation is anything like mine, you’ll find success with a better network.”
As for Kimmel, he had earlier mentioned that the “Maga gang” was mischaracterizing the motivations of a suspect involved in a recent assassination. He criticized the absurdity of using such tragedy for political gain, saying it’s not the mature way to handle the death of someone considered a friend.
Facing backlash from both ABC affiliate stations and the FCC, Disney decided to pull Kimmel’s show indefinitely, reflecting the heated climate surrounding these comments.
