Dear right wing nincompoops,
Dry your eyes over Jimmy Kimmel losing his $16 million presenting gig. Mr Kimmel has a net worth of $50 million. I have commented a lot on the left wing reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk but towards the end of the week my attention turned to the right wingers out there who feel the need to be concerned about Jimmy Kimmel getting fired from his job.
Stop it.
Honestly the weeping and gnashing of teeth from the likes of David Quinn, Konstantin Kisin and Bari Weiss has been a sight to behold. It certainly amazed me how the left have somehow managed to turn the very much alive Jimmy Kimmel into some free speech martyr for being fired from his job for lying on air in place of Charlie Kirk who was shot in the neck (the place where speech is formed) in the act of debating. Kirk, not Kimmel, is quite literally the definition of a free speech martyr.
Kimmel on the other hand was fired for telling a bare faced lie on national television. Even the Irish Times, describes it accurately, “Kimmel was taken off the air following criticism of his Monday evening monologue in which he suggested the man charged with murdering conservative campaigner Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.” This was a blatant lie. As per the BBC, “according to an indictment, Robinson’s mother told police that over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and left-wing, “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.” And in family conversations before the shooting, Robinson allegedly accused Kirk of spreading hate. Prosecutors say Robinson left a message for his roommate: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Robinson was not a pro – Trump Republican. So Jimmy Kimmel got fired for telling an outright lie, commercial interests abandoned him, and in a normal world he would have been fired for gross misconduct.
None of this stopped Patrick Kielty lamenting Jimmy Kimmel as the new free speech martyr who, unlike Charlie Kirk, is very much alive and welcome to come on The Late, Late Show to tell some more lies to the Irish audience.
Kielty said on Friday night “Hey Jimmy, it’s Patrick Kielty saying a big hello from Studio 4 of RTÉ here in Dublin, Ireland, home to the Late, Late Show for over 60 years,” he began.
“Now, during that time there have of course been many in power who have wanted our show off air, and yet our bosses have never considered shutting us down. Tonight we’re extending the hand of free speech and friendship to let you know that you’re always welcome here. So if you ever need a studio or a desk or an audience or a band, we’re here for you. And most importantly of all, Jimmy, this is Ireland, so we can promise you can say whatever the f**k you want.”
Just a few things, if I may. Just back up the truck there a moment.
First, this is all very rapturous and courageous and all but could someone let me know if Kielty extended any sympathies to Charlie Kirk’s wife who lost her husband and the father of children to a sniper’s bullet only one week beforehand? I don’t watch The Late, Late as I have a working brain, but I think I’d know if that happened.
Secondly, as for the whole people in power who wanted to shut us down, allegation, I’d like to see the receipts on that, to be honest. That sounds like a story right there, but I suspect, just a guess now, that this is a case of “recollections may vary.”
As for the idea that you can say whatever the fuck you want in Ireland, how Kielty could say that with a straight face is a wonder to behold. He’s a Free Speech warrior now is Kieity. Really.
So Graham Linehan is next up on the show, is he? He can tell the audience all about how he was arrested at Heathrow by 5 armed officers? I look forward to seeing Kielty on the whole Free Speech Circuit, banging the drum there for the right to say whatever the fuck you want without getting arrested for ‘hate speech.’ I’ll be watching to see him object to any attempt by the Irish government at resurrecting their Hate Speech Bill then.
Anyway, this kind of nonsense is the kind of thing I expect from the likes of RTE, Patrick Kielty new free speech warrior and The Late, Late Show. But there are actually right wing people out there almost crying at the fact Jimmy Kimmel lost his job. Dry your eyes and cope yourself on.
Bari Weiss of the Free Press (trust me she is influential) tweeted with a piece saying “For those on the right who might like what they’re seeing from this FCC: Remember that Democrats will wield this power again.” The FCC is Federal Communications Commission and there was a lot of discussion as to their role in the firing. But that’s not the point.
The point is how bonkers this idea is that once right wing governments win power they should not use it, within the many limits that already exist, to shape public policy or decisions that serve their agenda. If that is your position then don’t bother running for election, don’t bother being involved in elections, just pack up your bags and go home. Maybe watch Location, Location in front of your telly while slurping on ice – cream. If that is your argument then you are useless in the fight so just get out of the way. If Jimmy Kimmel wants to lawyer – up and sue his employers under the First Amendment let him. He sure does have the funds. I’ll be sitting this one out.
I’m not saying I want an authoritarian state: I’ve set out my position on free speech on Niall Boylan. What I am saying is, in the words of President Obama no less, elections have consequences.
Yes Trump is in power, I’d like to see some wins. And having Jimmy Kimmel fired for lying is a win.
Especially as it came after years of teachers, nurses, and lots of other ordinary people who were fired as the Democrats and their army of snitchers on Facebook perfected the cancel culture. These people were fired from their low and average paying jobs for the ‘wrong’ of saying biological sex is real or we should have border control or in the case of George Hook, women should be careful when out at night or Kevin Myers, Jews are good at turning a profit. This is not the same thing. How many times do I have to explain this?
Sometimes I think right wing people have been so oppressed and are so frightened they are like some poor unfortunate abused wife, cowering in the corner afraid to say and do things they are perfectly entitled to do, such as working or going out with a friend in case their abusive husband smacks them around. Just stop.
Anyway the week ended well with the news that Kneecap are banned from Canada because, according to the Canadians they are “advocating for political violence, glorifying terrorist organisations and displaying hate symbols that directly target the Jewish community are not protected forms of expression and will not be tolerated by our government.”
Kneecap said: “Your comments about us are wholly untrue and deeply malicious. We will not accept it.” They also said, “No member of Kneecap has been convicted of ANY crime in ANY country EVER.” The band added: “We have today instructed our lawyers to initiate action against you. We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations to silence our opposition to genocide being committed by Israel.” You do that. Lawyer up. That’s what the rest of us have had to do for years.
Some other dude on Twitter was very concerned that he was going to get a knock on the door from O’Brien himself unless he self – censored. A David Pakman lamented, “One of the hallmarks of authoritarianism is to terrify people into self-censorship. ABC ending Kimmel’s show is the perfect example of this.” To which the obvious reply is that if the radical left start self-censoring by not calling everyone Nazis, not celebrating political violence and murder, as well as not telling blatant lies, then we are making progress. Society would be a lot better if the radial left self-censored more. That is the aim.
I can tell you now I am not on board with this whole ‘ middle – ground’ fandango. But I’ll say this. If you are walking to the middle ground to shake hands with the radical left I’d move fast and weave a little. This makes it harder for the sniper standing behind them to blow your head off.
Yours,
Laura