Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel tells British TV that ‘tyranny is booming’ in US

Summary

• Jimmy Kimmel states "tyranny is booming" in the US, criticising Donald Trump's administration in a Channel 4 Christmas message.
• Kimmel details how his show was briefly suspended after criticising Trump, who he says wanted to silence him.
• Kimmel's show returned due to public support, his contract extended to 2027, and he urged the UK not to give up on America.

LONDON - American humourist Jimmy Kimmel said that “tyranny is booming” in the United States in a Christmas message broadcast by British television on Dec 25.

“I can tell you that from a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year. Tyranny is booming over here,” the talk show host said, in the alternative to Britain’s royal Christmas message
that Channel 4 has produced since 1993.

Kimmel, whose show was halted for a week
in September after he accused the American right of exploiting the killing of conservative activist
Charlie Kirk, went into detail about the suspension of his ABC show.

“You may have read in your colourful newspapers, my country’s president would like to shut me up, because I don’t adore him in the way he likes to be adored. The American government made a threat against me and the company I work for, and all of a sudden, we’re off the air. But then, you know what happened? A Christmas miracle happened.”

Kimmel said that “millions” of people had objected to the pressure
from President Donald Trump’s administration.

“I’m telling you the story is because maybe you’re thinking, oh, a government silencing its critics is something that happens in places like Russia or North Korea... not the UK. Well, that’s what we thought. And now we’ve got King Donnie the eighth calling for executions.”

Kimmel said that his show had come back “stronger than ever” and he had won the showdown as his contract has been extended
until mid-2027.

Kimmel appealed to Britons not to give up on Americans. “We’re going through a bit of a wobble right now, but we’ll come around. It may not seem like it, but we love you guys.” AFP