\n<\/p>\n
\n\tJane Fonda\u2018s Committee for the First Amendment came to Jimmy Kimmel\u2018s defense, after President Donald Trump again called for ABC to fire the late-night host over a joke he made last week in his monologue.<\/p>\n
\n\tFirst Lady Melania Trump also urged the network to \u201ctake a stand\u201d against Kimmel.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn a statement, Fonda\u2019s committee said that \u201ctheir demands follow the same old, tired, authoritarian playbook: use the weight of government to pressure media outlets to silence speech it disfavors and chip away at First Amendment protections.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur answer remains the same: No. We will not obey in advance. And ABC must not, either. We will keep speaking with our First Amendment protections, and we support everyone to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKimmel\u2019s skit on Thursday had him giving his own \u2018alternative\u2019 monologue to the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner, with archival clips of reaction shots from the first lady, Trump and others.<\/p>\n
\n\tKimmel said, \u201cOur First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe joke has drawn new attention following Saturday\u2019s shooting at the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner. Trump and first lady Melania Trump, along with other administration officials, were rushed off the dais in the aftermath, as attendees got on the floor or under tables until it was clear.<\/p>\n
\n\tABC has not yet commented.<\/p>\n
\n\tFonda\u2019s committee said, \u201cIn America, satire is not a crime. The right to mock, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is foundational to democracy. From late-night television to political cartoons, comedy has long served as a powerful tool to expose hypocrisy, provoke debate, and drive accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tIn September, Kimmel made comments about the response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk (watch it here), a quip that ignited fierce criticism on the right.<\/p>\n
\n\tA day later, FCC chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, criticized Kimmel\u2019s comments and told a podcaster that\u00a0\u201cwe can do this the easy way or the hard way,\u201d\u00a0a warning to broadcasters who hold licenses regulated by the agency. Hours later,\u00a0ABC announced that it was sidelining\u00a0Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/em>, as two major station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair,\u00a0decided to preempt it.<\/p>\n \n\tFonda\u2019s committee said of Trump\u2019s latest attack on Kimmel, \u201cThis is a test \u2014 of ABC, of the press, and of our collective commitment to the First Amendment. The pressure is real. The intent is unmistakable. But we have been here before, and we know what is required from all of us. Speak up. Push back. Do not capitulate. Do not be silent.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n