Time for Jimmy Kimmel to Shut up and Tell Jokes

This article was first posted in Eagle Rising.

With all due respect to late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel and his sick infant child, he is becoming rather tiresome. Until recently, he, like other late night wise guys, was devoting most of his monologues to making jokes about Donald Trump. That was bad enough-especially when there is so much material out there about Hillary Clinton.

Then the Kimmels had the misfortune to have a child who requires much post natal care. We all sympathize with him on that. Unfortunately, that has caused Kimmel to throw most of his jokes away as he bores his audiences with criticism against Trump and the Republicans for their efforts to repeal Obamacare. One can forgive him for having a personal stake in the issue. Yet are we really to believe that the survival of the Kimmels’ child depends on Obamacare and its own survival? I seriously doubt it. Surely, the Kimmels have the necessary insurance and financial resources to insure that their child gets all necessary treatment. I mean, is this child really going to die if Obamacare is repealed? Of course not. (Nor will anyone else’s child in my view.)

Now with the Las Vegas tragedy, Kimmel has joined the chorus of Hollywood elites calling for more gun control and condemning Republican politicians to hell fire and damnation for not supporting such. Never mind that at the same time he is increasing his security detail (who are no doubt armed) to protect him against those dangerous, right wing Trump supporters who might assassinate him for speaking out. Add Kimmel to the list of hypocrites who use armed security while denying the right of protection to ordinary Americans in our crime-ridden society. Of course, the same can be asked of Kimmel as the rest of the gun control advocates: Just specifically what do you suggest? All I hear is “We must do something”, or “We must begin a serious discussion on gun control”.

But what? Just exactly what do they think is going to to turn America into a nice little law-abiding, non-violent, gun free  society? Kimmel has no idea. His friends in Hollywood have no idea. They are looking for a magic potion that will make all guns in America-all 300 million of them by some estimates- disappear into thin air.

Maybe we should take Chicago’s strict gun laws and apply them nationally. Maybe that will work. It sure has produced great results, hasn’t it?

Kimmel has his right of free speech. If he wants to transform his show into a Jerry Lewis (RIP)  telethon, he can go right ahead. I don’t watch him anyway. My advice to him, however, would be to stick to what he does best-tell jokes and make (other) people laugh. If I may also suggest, he should also throw in a few one-liners about Hillary Clinton. Lots of rich, untapped material there just waiting to be used-by anyone in Hollywood who has the courage. C’mon, Jimmy. After all, you have that increased security.