Jimmy Kimmel Did Not Say Exactly What You Think He Said

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | James Hibberd | September 18, 2025

[nickcarraway]

What?

[Lazamataz]

Translation:

Jimmy Kimmel Did Not Say Exactly What He Said

[frank ballenger]

So he’s like the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Deceptive wording that sounds right but isn’t.

[Bullish]

Yeah, what a pantload of horse shit.

[Republican Wildcat]

Are you kidding me?

[kiryandil]

😂😂😂😂😂

[Republican Wildcat]

Let’s look at his viral quote again: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” The overwhelming read on this has been: Jimmy Kimmel said, or at least strongly suggested, that Robinson was MAGA. That’s been the contention of countless conservatives and plenty of not-so-conservatives. And the facts about Robinson released by authorities so far suggest the suspect was not, in fact, MAGA (according to The New York Times, his mother told prosecutors that her son had recently shifted toward the political left and had become “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” among other details about the suspect). But let’s take a close look at this section: “….the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them….” As part of a sentence, this is so blurry that your eyes cross trying to get it. Kimmel doesn’t actually say “this kid” was “one of them.” You could read it a different way: Robinson wasn’t MAGA, and therefore MAGA is out there trying to characterize him as something else. Or even: Who knows if Robinson was or wasn’t MAGA, either way MAGA is trying to score points based on his politics.

How much more ridiculous can you get than this? I don't know that you can...

[BradyLS]

Translation: “Don’t Believe Yer Lyin’ Ears!”

[Tellurian]

It depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is. No lie.

[Steely Tom]

Lefties are so clever with words.

[frank ballenger]

Jerry Nadler: You called?

[Political Junkie Too]

With all the Clintonian parsing that this author is doing, he is forgetting one important detail:

The news of the killer's left-leaning motives were public knowledge hours before Kimmel went on the air. Kimmel's words were suggesting that MAGA was planting this news to indict the left.

That was the "desperate... character[ization] of this kid" that Kimmel was implying was untrue MAGA disinformation.

-PJ

[KarlInOhio]

So his "comedy" was written by a team of lawyers so that he could appear to be blaming MAGA for the assassination but have a slight defence against slander.

It's like the 51 spooks who signed the letter stating that the information about Hunter's laptop "has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation". Now normally in spookworld that's enough evidence to start eliminating opponents or even start a war, but "has all the classic earmarks of" gives them a slight shield in court when they know darn well a compliant media will instantly convert it to "is definitely".

[alexander_busek]

Never has a snarky, clumsily worded and insensitive-sounding aside caused so much trouble.

It didn't just sound insensitive - it was insensitive (as well as deceitful and insulting). Nor was it an "aside" - rather, it was the lead-in of his entire monologue.

The debate around the killer’s motives, which have seen others on the left attempt to insist he’s a conservative.

Let me get this right: The author is saying that the killer's motives saw something - namely: they saw others on the left do something - namely: they saw them attempt something - namely: they saw them attempt to insist something - namely...

Talk about "clumsy wording!" The author's sentence structure is appalling!

Regards,

[Az Joe]

Krybaby Kimmel meant exactly what he meant.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Blackadder: This is a house of simple purity.

Monk: [Runs in and vomits in fireplace] Great booze-up, Edmund.

Lady Whiteadder: Do you know that man?

Blackadder: No.

Lady Whiteadder: He called you "Edmund".

Blackadder: Oh, know - him? Oh, yes, I do.

Lady Whiteadder: Then can you explain what he meant by "great booze-up"?

Blackadder: [very long pause] Yes, I can. My friend is a missionary and on his last visit abroad brought back with him the chief of a famous tribe. His name is Great Boo. He's been suffering from sleeping sickness and he's obviously just woken because as you've heard, Great Boo's up.

[joshua c]

and he shifted to calling it non-political violence

even though clearly leftist violence

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Anyone remember “The Man show” that was hosted by Kimmel and Adam Carolla? I always found it curious that after that show was cancelled/done, Kimmel the leftist got a late night talk show that paid him millions while Carolla who leans right was relegated to cheap podcasts

[John 3_19-21]

We’re back to the; “it’s nuance and you all just don’t understand it”.

[Pollard]

the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them

Pretty clear English. Clear insinuation that the kid was MAGA which he obviously wasn't.

Don't believe your ears. You're too dumb to know what you heard. That's what this guy is saying.