As a “mostly conservative leaning” business journalist, I’ve been asked a question several times in the last few days. That is, what does a member of the business press have to say about the so-called censorship of TV show host Jimmy Kimmel?
For the record, here is what he said during his Jimmy Kimmel Live TV monologue last week on the assassination of Christian conservative Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s words: “The MAGA gang is desperately trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
“Not Your Father’s Journalism.” Before I start, I’ll say today’s profession barely resembles that which I admired during my days in Journalism School. Most news directors of that era were respected as the “seekers of truth” and the subjects they covered who spread lies and falsehoods for their own gain faced career suicide. And back then, a line separated news from opinion.
As broken as mass media is in 2025, its watchdog role (watching both sides, that is) has never been more necessary. Yet when citizens no longer care about the quality of the so-called “facts,” I don’t see how it’ll return to a standard that once earned our trust.
One Man’s Opinion
You’ll see this piece is labeled as an “opinion.” Here are 5 takeaways on the matter.
- I disagree with government interference with Kimmel’s specific remarks, which were in poor taste and inaccurate (I am not a Kimmel fan, by the way). His platform is decidedly an op-ed and didn’t, in this case, require federal intervention. Unless patently untrue (as hard to prove as it is), discerning viewers should regard such comments as the mere rattlings of thick-skulled comic. And one whose motivations are seemingly about laughs and ratings, even in making light of an American tragedy.
- If Americans don’t want to bother with the difference between truth and opinion — content to become lemmings who’ll “buy” anything they hear from entertainers – we’re all in trouble. Since no Hippocratic-type of oath exists for fairness, truth and accuracy among “professional journalists,” what responsibility can you expect from a TV comic?
- As for the FCC and Commissioner Brendon Carr, a soundbyte does not an official judgment make. He isn’t the first bureaucrat to use position to “telegraph” desired motivations through the media, even when there’s no legal teeth behind them. They’ve taken the cues from the example of elected officials — of which both parties are guilty.
- If ABC executives are merely succumbing to FCC pressures as the liberal media is positioning this matter, shame on them for playing the victim. ABC could have suspended or fired Kimmel as a means of “managing its own house” vs. meekly characterizing their decision as a bending to another’s will. Businesses having the stones to act on their own accord keeps the FCC from a temptation to interfere. Every business can choose to stand up, step up and defend or fire — to boldly act on its own values, consciences and business decisions.
- As for Kimmel, he’s capable of bringing whatever “shock” is needed for a ratings boost. Today’s young bleeding hearts might be surprised about his opportunistic start on the “Man Show” from 1999-2003 (yes, I watched an episode today). Or what the entertainer had to say about the city of Detroit during the 2004 NBA finals (those remarks were wiped from the broadcast) and Chinese genocide, or his blackface impressions and racial slurs in a rap number. As an “entertainer” in a ratings-dominated “profession,” who knows if he believes what’s coming out of his own mouth? I just know it took decades before he felt an apology might be warranted for his behavior — coming during the George Floyd protests in 2020.
P.S. A Thing Called Class. Sunday morning, I shared an excerpt from Peggy Noonan on the subject of class, which few in our public-figure world today (including but not limited to President Donald Trump — who demonstrated his ignorance of the word again at Kirk’s funeral) have any sort of grip on.
With so much to cover in this “dynamic” ag business, I’ll exit by borrowing from Forrest Gump: “That’s all I have to say about that …”
The comments field is open for your own thoughts and observations.
