The host went on to play a succession of clips of Trump declaring he had banned government censorship and brought back free speech in America. After … Read original article: Read More

US TV hosts back Kimmel as Trump threatens networks

2 days ago. Ian Youngs, Culture reporter and Katie Razzall,Culture and media editor

Watch: Jimmy Fallon among US talk show hosts sharing on-air reactions to Kimmel’s exit

America’s late-night TV hosts have rallied behind fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel after he was suspended by ABC in a row over comments he made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Stephen Colbert began his show by saying “we are all Jimmy Kimmel”, and said the star’s removal was a “blatant assault on freedom of speech”.

Seth Meyers declared it was “a privilege and honour to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend”, while Jon Stewart and Jimmy Fallon tackled the free speech issue by doing satirical sketches in which they were apparently forced to praise Donald Trump.

Their broadcasts came shortly after the US president said the main networks were overwhelmingly negative about him and could have their licences “taken away”.

Watch: Ros Atkins on… What Jimmy Kimmel being taken off air means for free speech in the US

For years, Trump has focused on those in the media who he views as his opponents.

Is Kimmel’s suspension an attack on free speech? A sign of another media company bowing to Trump’s assault? Or a long overdue reckoning? It depends on whose side you are on.

This latest decision has sent a chill through liberal America – and encouraged the president’s supporters who have long railed against the late-night talk show hosts who criticise him.

The row started after Kimmel said in his monologue on Monday that the “Maga gang” were “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and trying to “score political points from it”.

He also likened Trump’s reaction to the conservative political activist’s death to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish”.

Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates network TV, called those comments “sick”. Carr said he had threatened to take action because the host had appeared to “directly mislead the American public”.

Conservative critics say Kimmel was pushing a false narrative by suggesting Kirk’s suspected killer was a “Make America Great Again” Republican. While the exact motive is still not known, on Sunday – before Kimmel spoke – the Utah governor had said the suspect was “indoctrinated by leftist ideology”.

Meyers, the host of NBC’s Late Night, began his show on Thursday by saying Trump’s administration was “pursuing a crackdown on free speech”, before adding sarcastically: “And completely unrelated, I just want to say before we get started here that I’ve always admired and respected Mr Trump.”

To audience laughter, Meyers continued: “I’ve always believed he was a visionary, an innovator, a great president and an even better golfer.”

The host went on to play a succession of clips of Trump declaring he had banned government censorship and brought back free speech in America.

After playing further clips about the Kimmel situation, Meyers said: “It is a privilege and honour to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend, in the same way it’s a privilege and honour to do this show every night.

“I wake up every day and I count my blessings to live in a country that at least purports to value freedom of speech.

“And we’re going to keep doing our show the way we’ve always done it – with enthusiasm and integrity…” That was followed by a fart noise, referring to a previous joke about a horse defecating in front of Trump during his state visit to the UK.

Returning to his point, Meyers continued: “This is a pivotal… this is a big moment in our democracy and we must all stand up for freedom of expression.

“There is a reason free speech is in the very First Amendment. It stands above all others.”

On CBS, The Late Show presenter Colbert said: “To Jimmy, I say I stand with you and your staff 100%.”

He said Kimmel’s suspension was “blatant censorship” and the “latest and boldest action in a long campaign against media critics”.

Continue/Read Original Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyxjve3pe2o