Jimmy Kimmel is NOT The Enemy

Here we go again: another failed assassination attempt, then outrage from MAGA-ites who blame Trump Haters for criticizing Trump. As if exercising your freedom of speech to disagree with the President and his policies suddenly has become a bird whistle that signals his assassination?

Well, yeah.

Even The New York Times echoed this sentiment with the headline “Gunman at Gala Scorned Trump, Authorities Say.” Oh. Like, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln because he really, really LOVED Honest Abe? Come on. Let’s get serious for a moment.

Study the mindset of any Presidential assassin and you’ll find some kind of overwhelming dislike or downright hatred for his political target. Or else, you’ll see how he scapegoated, then eliminated, his victim. For an even more thorough and interesting historical assessment of Presidential assassins, please read Sarah Vowell’s Assassination Vacation. It’s highly informative and easy to read…and also makes it easier to understand why blaming comics like Kimmel doesn’t necessarily inspire deranged vigilantes to kill.

Maybe POTUS 47 & wife should start reading it, too. Maybe then, they’d stop accusing Kimmel of “inciting” the violence that disrupted the White House Correspondents’s Association dinner. They might even realize his earthy humor that pokes fun at the high and mighty could prevent more violent attacks that it could provoke.

Unfortunately for the American People, both Trump and Melania have forgotten why they came to the Washington Hilton that night in the first place. It. wasn’t. about. them! This gala that was supposed to honor American journalists turned into a nightmare for ALL the attendees who showed up — not just Trump and his entourage.

And yet, this President who now has survived 3 assassination attempts lives NOT to make America great — or unified — again but to irrationally blame everyone(he believes) for hating him!

Enter Jimmy Kimmel.

Blaming Kimmel for comically disrespecting Trump — and Melania — makes no sense. It’s like blaming White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for her unintentionally provocative remark before the shooting that night.

While telling a reporter that the oncoming gala would be full of jabs and barbs, she actually said, “There will be shots fired tonight in the room.” (Really. That’s an honest-to-God quote.)

Of course, she meant that figuratively, not literally. She also did not insinuate or condone any future assassination attempt, either.

Neither did Mr. Kimmel.

On Thursday, April 23rd, he satirized the upcoming gala by re-imaging it as a fake Friar’s Club Roast. He did so for “humorous effect” — which is, by the way, protected by the U.S. Constitution. In this skit, he pretended to “roast” First Lady Melania by saying, “Mrs Trump, you have the glow of an expectant widow.” His comment merely echoed a likely put-down that would have taken place at any Friar’s Club Roast.

Furthermore, during his Monday night monologue that took place on April 27th, after the gala, Jimmy Kimmel clarified that he was referring to the 23 year age difference between 56 year old Melania and 79(soon to be 80)year old Trump — and NOT widowhood because of any assassination.

At this point, however, information is so-skewed that you can’t help but wonder if Melania truly was THAT upset with this “expectant widow” remark. Certainly, it must have crossed her mind some time that she probably would outlive her husband. The Donald knew. He even made a joke about it during the welcoming ceremony for King Charles and Queen Camilla.

At one point in his address, Trump mentioned his parents had been married for 63 years. Then he said, “Excuse me” to the crowd and turned to look at Melania. Then he said, “That’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling. I’m sorry, it’s just not going to work out that way. We’ll do well, but we’re not going to do that well.”
As if on cue, the crowd laughed.

Gee, what a funny guy! He’s one of us! We love the way he kids about the age gap between himself and his wife! Tee hee!

But this stand-up comic/President wants Jimmy Kimmel to lose his job at ABC-TV because he made a similar joke days before the assassination attempt, days before the President himself amused the King?

Ordinarily, I’d close this op-ed with a comment about the innate irony that’s embedded in The Donald’s brain. This time, though, I decided to end by advising POTUS 47 to connect with the better angels of his nature…but he doesn’t have any. Too bad they all flew over to Pope Leo’s side.