Every weeknight, late night TV hosts across various networks rehash current events and poke fun at politicians and celebrities. While the public loves these shows, some politicians take offense at the jokes.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. President Donald Trump has a history of taking these comedians’ jokes personally, attacking them for daring to mock him and his cronies. However, conservatives went too far in pulling Jimmy Kimmel, host of the late night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air over a statement regarding the recent assasination of Charlie Kirk. While it might seem inconsequential, this is a terrifying example of censorship that threatens our First Amendment rights.
It would be one thing if Kimmel had been mocking the assasination or saying something truly hateful. Kirk’s assassination is a horrifying example of political violence, and, whether one agrees with Kirk’s rhetoric or not, it deserves respectful discussion. Kimmel’s comments were not poking fun at Kirk, rather they were calling out Republicans that have used Kirk’s death as a propaganda tool.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said in his monologue.
Kimmel’s show is hosted on ABC, which came under fire from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after his comments. The FCC called for his removal, a demand which ABC complied with.
Trump’s reaction was even more concerning. When asked about the state of free speech in the United States, he claimed that “[Kimmel] was fired for lack of talent.” Trump also claimed that licensed late night shows aren’t allowed solely to make fun of him, calling these shows “an arm of the Democrat Party.”
Kimmel’s comments, while potentially distasteful to some, are still protected from the government by the First Amendment. Though ABC could have the legal right to remove him based on his comments, the government can’t retaliate against someone for simply speaking their mind. Though Kimmel was put back on the air, it is clear that conservatives are growing bolder in their attacks on Americans’ First Amendment rights.
To combat this trend, it is important for Americans to understand the First Amendment, both what it protects and what it doesn’t, and to speak out when violations of it occur. This is especially important for the politically active Generation Z. A 2023 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey found that Gen Z adults go to political rallies more than older generations, and are also politically active online “at similar or higher rates” than older generations.
So while Gen Zers may not care about a TV host getting fired, they certainly should be on the lookout for violations to their right to freedom of speech given the levels of political activism many engage in. To protect freedom of speech in the future, everyone must be watching for warning signs of it being attacked. Kimmel’s return was due to the pressure celebrities, politicians and the public placed on ABC’s parent company, Disney, to reverse the decision to remove Kimmel.
“Donald Trump is coming after our rights. It’s not a hypothetical, it’s not something that might happen in the future. It’s happening right now before our very eyes. They hate dissent, and they will do anything to stop it,” said liberal influencer Harry Sisson on Instagram.
