Iconic HBO show ‘Real Time’ saw entertainer Bill Maher demonstrating solidarity with fellow television personality Jimmy Kimmel, whose late-night program was put on hold by its broadcasting network ABC. Starting out his monologue, Maher jovially mentioned his delight to still be operating. Likening the state of talk show hosts to the decline of Blockbuster Stores during the ’90s, Maher added a dash of humor while tackling the sensitive topic regarding Jimmy Kimmel’s predicament.
Maher further commented on the precedent of how prominent hosts were facing setbacks and used the very recent instance of Kimmel to demonstrate his point. Creating a somewhat exaggerated depiction of the situation, Maher hinted that Kimmel has been let go by ABC due to certain remarks he made about a certain Charlie Kirk’s assassin; adding a distinct personal tribute, he expressed his appreciation of Kimmel’s two decades long contribution to entertainment.
Adding optimism to the discussion, Maher playfully suggested that, in case of an unlikely event of his dismissal, Kimmel could potentially enjoy a renaissance on another, more appreciative channel. A hint of irony was added in his supportive message, given the fact that Kimmel, contrasting to what Maher was alluding to, was not officially discharged.
ABC clarified mere days prior by stating that Kimmel’s show was ‘indefinitely suspended’ instead. Taking a casual, reflective stance, Maher remarked upon the peculiar, circular nature of life and events, sharing a personal anecdote of his own, similar experience from 24 years ago, when he found himself at the center of controversy which led to Kimmel taking his prime slot.
In a memory lane exploration, Maher reminded us that it was September of 2001, right after the infamous 9/11 attacks, when he, himself made remarks on ABC’s ‘Politically Incorrect’ that resulted in his cancellation. Maher didn’t shy away from telling it like it was, recalling that he questioned America’s distant, ‘cowardly’ military strategies.
His plain-spoken remark about the military tactics as ‘cowardly’, due to launching missiles from far away, stirred quite a controversy at the time, even though he offered a balanced perspective saying, ‘Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly’.
As a repercussion, advertisers like Sears and FedEx decided to withdraw their commercials from the program. Later, Maher – always a man of integrity – admitted his statements may have been taken out of context and apologized. He clarified that he never thought of American military personnel as anything but brave, and that his comments were never meant to imply otherwise.
However, despite this, ABC maintained ‘Politically Incorrect’ on air for a period, eventually they had to let it go in 2002, succumbing to the external pressures from advertisers. Recently, on the HBO show, Maher drew a parallel with his past, bringing forth the challenges he faced with ABC and mentioned the new potential threat posed to ABC by the FCC chairman.
Maher, staunch as always asserted, ‘I am not intimidated by the FCC’. He further implied an indirect message towards a leadership that values different perspectives – an oblique reference that one could infer was towards President Trump, while showcasing consistency in his courage to speak out.
Maher was not finished, though. He called out hypocrisy, stating ‘this intimidation on the right is so hypocritical.’, referring to the emerging threats to freedom of speech. He further expressed his concern about the FCC possibly targeting the much-loved show ‘The View’, triggering reflections about the future state of political commentary programs.
Interestingly, ABC’s ‘The View’ did not take part in their network’s conversation regarding Kimmel’s suspension. Maher, well acquainted with ‘The View’ ladies, noticed this and informed his audience that unfortunately, they hadn’t commented on this issue. He attributed this to the nature of the show, which focuses more on lively, positive discussions.
Maher pointed out, ‘It’s just an upbeat party show. That’s why they hired people named Joy [Behar] and Sunny [Hostin] and Whoopi [Goldberg].’ His sarcastic jest brought a lighter touch to an otherwise serious discussion, testament to his inherent wit and wisdom.
After Kimmel’s show suspension, the fraternity of current and former late-night hosts expressed their support for him, highlighting the comradery present amongst the talk show hosts in trying times. Despite all the adversity faced, the spirit of entertainment and unity persists, ensuring that the show, indeed, goes on.
The post Bill Maher’s Unwavering Solidarity for Kimmel Shows Strength in Adversity appeared first on Real News Now.
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