On April 28, Trump posted a message demanding that Disney and ABC immediately fire talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, after Kimmel made a joke referring to First Lady Melania Trump as a "quasi-widow." Trump labeled this as "vile incitement to violence," stating that many people are angry over Kimmel's vile incitement to violence, and that Disney and ABC should immediately fire Jimmy Kimmel.
[Clever] Comment briefly: The escalation of political sparring in the U.S.: A comedy sketch turns into "incitement to violence"? If we're talking about iconic moments in American politics, the verbal clashes between Trump and late-night comedians definitely rank among them. This time, Jimmy Kimmel’s quip of “quasi-widow” directed at Melania Trump directly ignited Trump’s fury, prompting him to demand immediate dismissal from Disney and ABC, while slapping the label of “vile incitement to violence” on Kimmel. This move feels eerily familiar—after all, Trump has always been protective of his image and holds grudges. Kimmel has mocked Trump multiple times before, and their long-standing resentment has only deepened over time. On one side, late-night comedy thrives on sharp satire to attract attention; on the other, the former president responds with a fragile ego. Ultimately, it’s all about the battle for audience attention and traffic.
It’s common practice for American comedy shows to make political jokes—yet now, such humor is being exaggerated and politicized, which seems like an overreaction. If we’re really discussing “incitement,” compared to the smear campaigns and divisive tactics routinely seen in politics, a single joke hardly qualifies. Instead of targeting the host, perhaps they should first examine their own “boundaries of speech.” After all, American double standards have never lacked for fresh examples!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863670623052804/
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