Americans are voicing a widespread sense of nostalgia for a time when late-night comedians focused on humor rather than political violence, following recent comments by Jimmy Kimmel in the wake of another assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.
Over the weekend, law enforcement stopped a would-be assassin targeting the president. Shortly afterward, Kimmel delivered a parody White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech that included a line complimenting Melania Trump on having “the glow of an expectant widow.” The remark drew sharp criticism from viewers who said it crossed a line from comedy into celebrating potential harm.
Television viewer Jeff Stevenson captured a common sentiment: “Those were the days. I remember way back when comedians would say stuff that made everyone laugh, and there weren’t any instances of them expressing sincere hopes that anyone would be gunned down. I don’t recall Johnny Carson ever calling for anyone to be assassinated.”
Jennifer Blake echoed the frustration, saying it would be “nice to sit back and laugh at some jokes without someone wishing death on someone else. Sadly, those days are gone.”
At the time of reporting, Kimmel had invited the failed assassin to appear on his program. The episode has intensified debate over the tone of late-night television and whether political comedy has become inseparable from calls for real-world violence.
