Melania Trump demands ABC fire Kimmel over remarks calling her an 'expectant widow'

rambot · Apr 28, 2026

Can people calling for comedians to be fired for telling jokes PLEASE have the self awareness to stop saying 'I believe in free speech'.
Just admit you DON'T support free speech.

I do it.

I'm willing to say I don't believe in free speech. Why can't you? You OBVIOUSLY do not believe in free Speech? What is stopping you from accepting it?

The self righteous, but clear contradiction, is not a flattering look.

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

durangodawood said:
Then you should specify what or who you think its unacceptable to.

It was an unacceptable comment to make. There's virtually no situation where it would be acceptable. That's just plain old commonsense if you're a sensible adult.

GoldenBoy89 · Apr 28, 2026

Here’s 12 pages of people defending the president’s right to be a vile racist on the Internet, just a couple months ago.

Trump posts racist video depicting the Obamas as monkeys

President Trump posted an overtly racist video clip portraying former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes at the end of a video on his Truth Social feed. Trump's offensive post uses a centuries-old trope against the first Black president and first lady in U.S. history...

www.christianforums.com

You guys can spare us the fake outrage over a comedian making a joke you didn’t like.

GoldenBoy89 · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
It was an unacceptable comment to make. There's virtually no situation where it would be acceptable. That's just plain old commonsense if you're a sensible adult.

Why would it be unacceptable to joke about a clearly loveless marriage?

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

rambot said:
Can people calling for comedians to be fired for telling jokes PLEASE have the self awareness to stop saying 'I believe in free speech'.
Just admit you DON'T support free speech.

I do it.

I'm willing to say I don't believe in free speech. Why can't you? You OBVIOUSLY do not believe in free Speech? What is stopping you from accepting it?

The self righteous, but clear contradiction, is not a flattering look.

Free speech is the right to express opinions publicly without government interference, censorship, or restraint, commonly protected under constitutional law. Which has nothing to do with being fired by an employer. The way people, including Kimmel, are interpreting free speech, means there shouldn't be any rules or moderation here. One should be allowed to write anything they want to here. So lets report CF to Congress or barring our first amendment rights.

durangodawood · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
It was an unacceptable comment to make. There's virtually no situation where it would be acceptable. That's just plain old commonsense if you're a sensible adult.

By this standard loads of people say and do unacceptable things that enough of us in the culture just accept for there to be no consequences. I'm thinking of the US president, among others.

Kimmel is too far down the list of important unnaceptables for me to get worked up over.

rambot · Apr 28, 2026

This whole thread as I go back through it seems to be more just about people's taste in comedy.

Did folks understand the nature of the joke (some missed it)?

Did folks find it offensive or just NOT funny?

Are there folks who expect comedians to never tell off colour jokes?

Should Trump's earlier treatment of Kimmel inform our opinion on this?

I've seen Trump say some things that are clearly NOT meant as a joke "Good. I'm glad he's dead" from a SITTING PRESIDENT (NOT a comedian, mind you). IIRC I remember a few "Oh. tsk tsk"s from a couple of Trump supporters.

And now in America we have a 6 page thread on a joke a comedian told because Trump got offended and posted about it. Trump gets made fun of all the time and nobody says anything...until trump makes a stink...then the hounddogs come out.

All just feels like a damp squib.

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

durangodawood said:
By this standard loads of people say and do unacceptable things that enough of us in the culture just accept for there to be no consequences. I'm thinking of the US president, among others.

They experience backlash too. People are calling for impeachment the 25h amendment being invoked all the time.

durangodawood said:
Kimmel is way down the list of important unnaceptables for me to get worked up over.

He's the subject of this thread. Which you've been quite active in.

FreeinChrist · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
It is not a violation of the first amendment. But it could be a violation of an employer's code of ethics and considered harmful to the employer's reputation if they kept the offending party as an employee. Let's say a couple are at a restaurant, and the waiter tells the wife, "you'd be happy if you became a widow". Would it come as a surprise if the couple demanded that the waiter should be fired?

That would be bizarre from a waiter. I don't see a comparison. Comedians offend at times, and the easily offended should just not watch them.

Servus said:
It came out that way though considering he had had two assassination attempts. It's hard to believe that never crossed Kimmel's mind. Also companies fire people all the time for things they say because they don't want to be connected to someone who says things that makes them look bad via association. No company wants that kind of flack.

It is assumption to insist it was in Kimmel's mind. I heard the joke and didn't think of assassination at all.

Media companies would be firing nearly everyone except the very boring or bland. Ha! Look at the outrage Teletubbies and their Tinky Winky character!

durangodawood · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
Free speech is the right to express opinions publicly without government interference, censorship, or restraint, commonly protected under constitutional law. Which has nothing to do with being fired by an employer. The way people, including Kimmel, are interpreting free speech, means there shouldn't be any rules or moderation here. One should be allowed to write anything they want to here. So lets report CF to Congress or barring our first amendment rights.

I agree about private employers' prerogative to maintain their own standards.

But..... Watch for Trumps FCC exerting licensing "pressure" on Kimmels employer over this matter.

rambot · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
Free speech is the right to express opinions publicly without government interference, censorship, or restraint, commonly protected under constitutional law. Which has nothing to do with being fired by an employer.

Are we meant to pretend Trump and Melania complaining about this is irrelevant to the discussion?

Of course we are.

Servus said:
The way people, including Kimmel, are interpreting free speech, means there shouldn't be any rules or moderation here.

LOL!! I think it's really sweet and innocent that you think that his joke is not the most vile version of that joke that came out of that writer's room.

It would be more like, imagine if Trump saw my posts where I insult him and he reaches out to the site manager and tells him I need to be removed.

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

rambot said:
This whole thread as I go back through it seems to be more just about people's taste in comedy.

Did folks understand the nature of the joke (some missed it)?

Did folks find it offensive or just NOT funny?

Are there folks who expect comedians to never tell off colour jokes?

Should Trump's earlier treatment of Kimmel inform our opinion on this?

I've seen Trump say some things that are clearly NOT meant as a joke "Good. I'm glad he's dead" from a SITTING PRESIDENT (NOT a comedian, mind you). IIRC I remember a few "Oh. tsk tsk"s from a couple of Trump supporters.

And now in America we have a 6 page thread on a joke a comedian told because Trump got offended and posted about it. Trump gets made fun of all the time and nobody says anything...until trump makes a stink...then the hounddogs come out.

All just feels like a damp squib.

So you haven't seen tons of backlash against Trump and people constantly saying he should be fired (via impeachment and the 25th amendment)? Trump has gotten exactly what Kimmel has gotten, so the 'why is it okay for Trump and not Kimmel?' argument is really silly.

GoldenBoy89 · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
Free speech is the right to express opinions publicly without government interference, censorship, or restraint, commonly protected under constitutional law.

Hmmm…. Is the First Lady someone from the government?

How about the President of the United States?

Looks like an attempt at government censorship of free speech to me.

rambot · Apr 28, 2026

Servus said:
So you haven't seen tons of backlash against Trump and people constantly saying he should be fired (via impeachment and the 25th amendment)? Trump has gotten exactly what Kimmel has gotten, so the 'why is it okay for Trump and not Kimmel?' argument is really silly.

What does the 25th ammendment allow for?

RocksInMyHead · Apr 28, 2026

durangodawood said:
But..... Watch for Trumps FCC exerting licensing "pressure" on Kimmels employer over this matter.

Hmm, yeah, about that...

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/business/media/fcc-abc-television-kimmel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.eVA.lFWc.O6MEi7wtMalH&smid=url-share

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

rambot said:
Are we meant to pretend Trump and Melania complaining about this is irrelevant to the discussion?

Of course we are.

Trump and Melania complaining is not a violation of Kimmel's first amendment rights.

rambot said:
LOL!! I think it's really sweet and innocent that you think that his joke is not the most vile version of that joke that came out of that writer's room.

That joke is the topic of this thread which is why it's getting total focus, rather than other jokes that are not the topic of this thread. That should be pretty easy to figure out for someone acting as smug as you are.

rambot said:
It would be more like, imagine if Trump saw my posts where I insult him and he reaches out to the site manager and tells him I need to be removed.

Without enforcing it using his power as president and the power of the government, then it wouldn't be a violation of the first amendment and free speech. In fact according to the first amendment and free speech, Trump has the right to say that to the site manager.

Landon Caeli · Apr 28, 2026

GoldenBoy89 said:
Why would it be unacceptable to joke about a clearly loveless marriage?

Oftentimes people see high profile celebrities like JK as someone safe to emulate. I wonder if it would be acceptable for some other high profile celebrities to "joke" about how much better off America would be if illegal immigrants just got shot dead on sight.

I wouldn’t think anyone would consider that acceptable - I know I wouldn't, and I would call for any celebrity who jokes like that to be fired from his show.

Servus · Apr 28, 2026

rambot said:
What does the 25th ammendment allow for?

The removal of a president from office.

Aryeh Jay · Apr 28, 2026

rambot said:
What does the 25th ammendment allow for?

Removal of unhinged liberal Presidents with obvious mental impairment who destroy our economy, increase the debt with unchecked runaway spending on frivolous pet projects, and get us entangled in forever wars.

Valletta · Apr 28, 2026

Tropical Wilds said:
Was it my favorite joke? No. Was it one of his funniest jokes? Again no. But was it a scandalous joke worth of immediate firing and FCC investigations? Also no. It’s just another feigned offense in order to distract from the real, far more serious problems plaguing the administration.

It a part of what the administration is against, the lack of morality, the violence, the justification of murder. You don't see Republicans taking to the streets each time they feel a wrong is committed.

Melania Trump demands ABC fire Kimmel over remarks calling her an 'expectant widow'

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