Jimmy Kimmel can help deradicalize America
With government and media failing, we need cultural figures to push forward. Every little bit helps
For Americans sounding alarms about rising authoritarianism on the right over the past 10 years, late-night comedy has been like medicine. They could feel that they’re not alone, laugh at a “would-be dictator,” and maybe even find a glimmer of hope.
As violence grew on the right, from the Charlottesville Nazis to January 6, fears on the left grew deeper. In his second term, Trump has brought us the pardoning of even the most violent insurrectionists, ICE raids, and more. Watching monologues from Trump-bashing hosts (often the next day, on YouTube) has helped.
But in our polarized media, throughout all this, the right has been seeing another slice of reality: increasing violence on the left. As I report in the latest episode, a survey found 40% of Democrats support use of force to remove Trump from the presidency, while 25% of Republicans support use of the military to stop protests against his agenda.
The same goes for college campuses. A new survey from the Foundation for Rights and Expression (FIRE) finds that in 2020 “about 1 in 5 students said it was ever acceptable to use violence to stop a speaker. That number has since risen to a disturbing 1 in 3 students.”
And FIRE points out what the mainstream media refuses to:
“Students who are the furthest to the left have been the most accepting of violence for as long as we’ve asked the question. That includes very liberal and democratic socialist students. But a rising tide of acceptance of violence has raised all boats… What was once an extreme and fringe opinion has become normalized.”
This phenomenon has been on full display at law-breaking, vicious, antisemitic campus riots. Mainstream news organizations have written these off as “pro-Palestinian protests” that stand for “freedom of speech.” But in reality, participants have engaged in physical attacks.
As I prepare this newsletter (in advance of Rosh Hashanah), word is that Jimmy Kimmel will return to the airwaves Tuesday night. You don’t need me to give you a recap on what he said and didn’t say; that has been covered extensively. Here’s what I can offer.
It’s clear that Kimmel has no desire to cave to political pressure from Trump or corporate pressure from ABC (which previously made a $15 million settlement to appease Trump and curry favor). Good. He shouldn’t do either.
But he has an opportunity to do something else: demonstrate that he understands why his remarks about Kirk’s assassin hurt people; reach out across the divide; acknowledge the growing political violence; and help wake partisans up to the dangers in their own camp.
Big media won’t help their own side see the dangers within. People like me who set aside a partisan lens and look at facts are are almost non-existent in those outlets.
In his initial statement after Kirk’s shooting, he wrote, “Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.” This kind of message can resonate.
Also, while his fellow late night comedians Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers and John Oliver have all joined and fueled the Israel-bashing left movement, Kimmel seems to have largely stayed away from that nonsense. Maybe, unlike them, he still has the capacity to see when the left goes too far?
If he returns to the airwaves, he’ll likely have the eyes and ears of a bigger audience. Even if some stations don’t carry him, his messages will make the rounds on social media.
He can address the growing violence on the left, helping wake up his core audience to a problem they may not realize is raging on their side. He can show American conservatives that he respects and understands their pain after Kirk’s assassination. And he can draw attention to Democrats like Melissa Hortman who have been assassinated.
Kimmel can do all this without giving up his comedic pillorying of Trump.
With government and media failing spectacularly and dividing America further, our best shot for deradicalization lies in our culture. I’m not saying Kimmel has massive power to make this happen on his own; he doesn’t. But when someone has an opportunity to do something good, I like to see them take it.
Working to draw attention to the growing dangers on both sides would be a positive step forward. It would be an act of patriotism -- and maybe, even, a tiny dose of medicine for the country.
JL
P.S. Share your thoughts for the next episode!