{"id":589901,"date":"2026-04-17T14:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/589901\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T14:31:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:31:13","slug":"megyn-kelly-goes-scorched-earth-on-jimmy-kimmel-over-his-political-commentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/589901\/","title":{"rendered":"Megyn Kelly goes scorched earth on Jimmy Kimmel over his political commentary"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Megyn Kelly has accused late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel of needing to \u201cfeel important\u201d and of smearing TV legend Johnny Carson<\/a>. \u200b<\/p>\n

The conservative commentator unloaded on the comedian on Thursday\u2019s episode of her podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show<\/a>, over comments he made on a recent episode of former First Lady Michelle Obama\u2019s IMO<\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n

Before tearing into Kimmel, Kelly claimed that Obama\u2019s podcast had around \u201c4 listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Jimmy Kimmel needs to feel important,\u201d Kelly seethed, suggesting that the comedian does not care about the \u201clofty goal\u201d of making people laugh. \u200b<\/p>\n

\"MegynMegyn Kelly has accused of Jimmy Kimmel of smearing Johnny Carson on Michelle Obama’s podcast (The Megyn Kelly Show)<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s jab came after she played a clip from the IMO podcast, in which Kimmel<\/a> said it would be \u201cembarrassing\u201d to avoid talking about politics and action taken by President Trump<\/a>.\u200b<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just shows a great deal of ignorance when it comes to comedy, to say, \u2018Well, Johnny Carson didn\u2019t do this,\u2019\u201d Kimmel continued. \u201cLike, well, first of all, we\u2019re living in a different time. And secondly, how do you know Johnny Carson wouldn\u2019t do it? <\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cI bet Johnny Carson would talk about it,\u201d he added. \u201cI bet Johnny Carson would be absolutely mortified by what\u2019s going on.\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n

As the clip wrapped up, Kelly said that she believed Kimmel was \u201cwrong.\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n

To illustrate her point, the conservative pundit played a clip from Carson dating back to 1979. <\/p>\n

\u200bIn the recording, the legendary host responded to a question about why he steered clear of politics<\/a> on his talk show. <\/p>\n

\"JimmyJimmy Kimmel said that he believes \u2018Johnny Carson would be absolutely mortified by what\u2019s going on.\u2019 (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what I\u2019m there for,\u201d he said. \u201cWhy do they think that just because you have a Tonight Show, you must deal in serious issues?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cThat\u2019s a danger. It\u2019s a real danger,\u201d he added. \u201cOnce you start that, you start to get that self-important feeling that what you say has great import.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carson went on to warn that TV show hosts could \u201csway people,\u201d noting that he did not believe that to be the role of an entertainer. <\/p>\n

After the clip ended, \u200bKelly said that the late host\u2019s comments were \u201cthe difference between humility and hubris,\u201d adding that Carson was \u201chumble\u201d and understood the value of his role.\u200b<\/p>\n

Kelly went on to claim that Kimmel\u2019s comments were \u201csmears\u201d against Carson, arguing that the comedian was \u201csuggesting Trump is so uniquely bad even Johnny Carson would break that rule.\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n

\"KellyKelly claimed that Kimmel\u2019s comments were \u2018smears\u2019 against Carson (right) (AP)<\/p>\n

Kimmel has repeatedly gone viral for tearing into the president\u2019s policies and public gaffes during the opening monologues of Jimmy Kimmel Live!\u200b<\/p>\n

The show was infamously taken off the air<\/a> in September 2025, after he made a joke about the president\u2019s response to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk<\/a>.\u200b<\/p>\n

Kimmel\u2019s return to the air was watched by 6.3 million viewers<\/a>, more than triple its usual audience. \u200b<\/p>\n

In recent months, Kimmel and Trump have regularly exchanged jabs, with the latter describing the TV show host as a \u201closer\u201d on Fox News\u2019 The<\/a> Five <\/a>in March.\u200b<\/p>\n

\u201cHe gets no ratings, none,\u201d Trump suggested. \u201cHe\u2019s got no talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u200bKimmel slammed the president as recently as this week, questioning the Trump administration\u2019s defense <\/a>of an image uploaded by the commander-in-chief, which some have suggested appears to depict him as Jesus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cFirst, he was Jesus. Then he was a doctor, and now it was a joke,\u201d Kimmel said. \u201cWhy did I get kicked off the air again? I can\u2019t remember.\u201d<\/p>\n