Jimmy Kimmel remains unfazed following First Lady Melania Trump’s call for ABC to fire him after a controversial joke about her at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The Controversial Joke and Assassination Attempt
Last Thursday, Kimmel delivered a mock speech from behind a faux podium, dressed in a tuxedo. He quipped that Melania Trump had ‘the glow of an expectant widow.’ The skit aired just two days before the actual event at the Washington Hilton.
Unbeknownst to Kimmel, an armed gunman soon attempted to storm the dinner, in what authorities describe as an assassination plot targeting President Donald Trump and his cabinet members.
Melania Trump’s Response
Melania Trump condemned Kimmel as a ‘coward’ in a statement, urging ABC to ‘take a stand.’ She argued that ‘people like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate’ and accused him of hiding behind the network for protection.
Both the First Lady and President Trump have pressed ABC, which broadcasts Jimmy Kimmel Live!, to dismiss the host. This follows Kimmel’s prior one-week suspension in September 2025 for remarks about Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Kimmel’s Team Dismisses Backlash
Sources close to the 58-year-old host, who earns $15 million annually, reveal a dismissive attitude. One insider stated bluntly: ‘We don’t care.’
Kimmel and his team are reportedly enjoying a ‘good laugh’ over the White House complaints. ‘These people are so thin-skinned,’ the source added. ‘They can dish it out and they can’t take it at all – they’re the real snowflakes.’
Another source noted: ‘They can do whatever they want and say whatever they want, but when something is clearly a joke, they want it censored by the network. Trump says the most unhinged s**t about everyone, but the minute a joke is at his expense, he and his family lose their s**t. Anyone who has worked in late night for a long time knows that everyone gets it.’
Composed Appearance Amid Controversy
On Monday, Kimmel arrived at his Los Angeles set in an Audi, appearing cool and composed. He wore dark shades, accompanied by his wife, Molly McNearney.
Network Stance and Contract Future
Insiders indicate the backlash holds no surprises for Kimmel or Disney, ABC’s parent company. ‘Bring it on’ captures Kimmel’s mentality, with one source remarking it seems absurd that the president and First Lady focus on jokes amid national threats.
ABC and Disney have no plans to fire or suspend Kimmel again post his prior penalty. His contract runs through May 2027, and both parties eye an amicable parting afterward based on ratings and relations.
‘It would be the easy way out for both of them to go their separate ways when his contract is up,’ a source explained. ‘Jimmy [can] ride off in the sunset… and Disney [comes off] unscathed.’
