What can we say about late night host Jimmy Kimmel and President Donald Trump? Well, one man is a beloved, talented comedian, and the other is a divisive political hack named Jimmy Kimmel who has recorded audio of himself saying the N-word. 
Fox News reported on June 22 that they had obtained audio of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host’s racially offensive antics from earlier in his career. In addition to audio of Kimmel pretending to be Snoop Dogg on a joke Hip Hop album from 1996, which was such a close impression of the L.A. rapper that Kimmel used the “N-word,” the outlet also obtained audio of a podcast during which the late night host talked about his infamous impression of African American comedian George Wallace.
Kimmel’s friend, comedian Adam Carolla, has described that impression as “Kimmel’s Crazy Black Voice,” just to give you a taste.
This news comes just after speculation went around the internet that Kimmel’s upcoming summer “vacation,” as he called it, was actually him taking a break because of Black Lives Matter’s campaign to eradicate anyone and anything with a spotty racial history. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that footage of the comedian wearing “blackface” to mock Oprah and NBA star Karl Malone became “popular” again as BLM protests gained intensity.
According to the Fox report, the specific instances of Kimmel’s use of the slur were found in a comedy Christmas album called, “A Family Christmas in Your A**,” produced in 1996 by the “Kevin and Bean” radio show from California station KROQ-FM. The album’s song, “Imitation,” featured a cheap caricature of rapper Snoop Dogg by the comedian, who rapped lyrics such as, “fat n***** in a sleigh giving sh** away,” and “N***** in a manger” in reference to Baby Jesus. How wonderful.
Another line went, “Me and my n***** down in LBC, we'll smoke that motherf****** Christmas tree.” Yeah, so funny. In addition to rapping on that gem, liner notes from the recording indicated that Kimmel produced the album and was credited for “all comedy material” on the idiotic project.
As far Kimmel’s “N-word” antics go, of course they were done in jest, but considering how most people find the term deeply racially offensive and hurtful, an apology was seriously warranted. Some sort of reckoning was also due, especially considering his own public stance on the slur. Recently, Kimmel encouraged Tom Arnold to go on the hunt for an alleged audio recording of President Donald Trump using the term in order to ruin his presidency. Ironic that Kimmel might be about to get the boot the way he wanted Trump to.
Though Kimmel’s been quiet as his blackface videos were trending again, this latest “N-word” revelation finally prompted an actual apology. In a statement provided on June 23, the ABC host claimed, “There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.”
Kimmel also clarified that “I’ve done dozens of impressions of famous people, including Snoop Dogg, Oprah, Eminem, Dick Vitale, Rosie, and many others. In each case, I thought of them as impersonations of celebrities and nothing more.” Sorry, man. You’re clearly not woke enough.
Kimmel assured viewers that he will be back on air in September. Yeah, we’ll see.
Still, Kimmel couldn’t let go of his usual smarmy disdain for the president and other Republican leaders, adding in his note that, “I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us.”
Whatever. So much for Kryin’ Kimmel. Looks like Trump’s staying and the host might be saying goodbye. What poetic irony.
