If you’ve been tuning into late-night talk shows lately, it feels like you’re just hearing applause. You know, that kind of supportive clapping that the audience does when someone mentions how “Orangeman is bad.” It’s almost mechanical at this point.
Robert Plant once posed the question, “Does anyone remember laughing?” and let’s be honest, we’ve seen the likes of Carson, Letterman, and O’Brien. They had humor that felt genuine.
But here’s the thing: Jimmy Kimmel is not exactly here to entertain. He seems rather frustrated, and, well, you might have expected that.
While talking to former First Lady Michelle Obama on a failed podcast, Kimmel went on a rant about how entitled viewers demand humor from him. It wasn’t pretty. He took all his critics to task.
“It ticks me off when people say, ‘Well, this is your job,’ because, firstly, don’t dictate my job to me. I won’t tell you what yours is. My job is what I say it is, and what my employer lets me do. That’s all there is to it,” he said.
It seems like his role has morphed into speeding up the decline of late-night television, and oddly enough, he’s excelling at it.
French Toast
First, you need to know about the French adoration of Jerry Lewis. It’s utterly charming. And now, American audiences will likely witness one of 2025’s biggest box office hits.
Last year, Ella McKay was the talk of the town, sporting an all-star cast—think Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, and Woody Harrelson—along with a renowned writer/director in James L. Brooks. Yet, the film, centered around a troubled young woman (Emma Mackey) navigating the political world, didn’t exactly light up the reviews. The numbers were underwhelming, especially in Japan, where it only made about $4 million.
But here come the French to save the day. The French version of Disney+ debuted the film after its lukewarm reception stateside. Good vibes from the media led studios to agree to a limited theatrical release in the country.
Maybe, just maybe, AI could produce a digital version of Jerry Lewis for a Paris-set sequel.
Role Reversal
Nick Offerman could well be our generation’s Laurence Olivier.
The comedian’s portrayal of Ron Swanson on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” is a libertarian dream. His character despised the government and wanted it shrunk down to the size of a cricket’s belt.
In reality, though, Offerman is a staunch progressive and frequently criticizes Donald Trump and right-wing politics.
This week, he featured on the heavily left-leaning “Daily Show” and took jabs at Trump’s plans for a celebration for America’s 250th birthday, including arches to mark significant moments in history.
“Can’t you just play with replicas of yourself at home like a normal grandpa with dementia? Do we really need these grandiose celebrations as if you’re the Emperor of Rome? What’s next, gladiator fights?” he quipped.
As Ron Swanson might say, many of these expenses are unnecessary. But it’s hard not to appreciate Trump’s cringe-worthy presidency.
“Fokker” Fatigue
Haven’t we endured enough?
Some movie franchises stumble after hitting it big. Just look at “John Wick,” “Fast and Furious,” or even “Mission: Impossible.” Few series maintain excellence across the board.
We can all agree that “Meet the Parents” was a massive success, giving Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller all sorts of memorable lines. But then came the sequel, “Meet the Fockers,” which, let’s say, was a star-studded affair of lesser quality. And “Little Fockers”? Well, let’s just not even go there.
Despite that, another “Focker” film is set to hit the screen this fall. “Focker-in-Law” features “Wicked” star Ariana Grande, who is about to marry Greg and Pam’s son, causing quite the stir.
The trailers? They’re cringeworthy—and Stiller seems hesitant about returning to the series after all the past criticism.
Unlike Offerman, you can’t say he’s that bad an actor.
As for De Niro, he was once held in high regard but now his constant rants against Trump are alienating some moviegoers.
It makes one wonder—will his character face a lie detector in the sequel to reveal if he’s serious about his more outrageous anti-Trump claims?
Now that’s something people would pay to see.
