The Committee for the First Amendment, a free speech advocacy group led by actor Jane Fonda, criticized President Donald Trump for urging ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over his comments about first lady Melania Trump.
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“In 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,” the organization said Monday in a statement first reported by NBC News.
“This is a test — 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,” the organization added.
The president and first lady objected to remarks Kimmel made on his show Thursday. In a segment parodying the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the late-night comedian said of the first lady: “You have a glow like an expectant widow.”
The segment, which has amassed over 4 million views on YouTube, aired on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” two days before a gunman opened fire outside the correspondents’ association dinner in Washington.
The president, the first lady and other top government officials were rushed out of the ballroom.
The suspect wrote in a note to his family that he believed it was his duty to target Trump administration officials. He faces three charges, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States.
Trump excoriated the Kimmel segment in a post on Truth Social on Monday, calling it “really shocking,” and drew a direct connection between the comedian’s comments and the weekend shooting.
“I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale,” the president wrote in part. “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
In a separate post on X, the first lady said Kimmel’s “hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country.”
She added in part: “Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
ABC, Disney and Kimmel’s publicist did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. In response to a request for comment on Fonda’s organization’s statement, the White House referred NBC News to the president’s post about Kimmel.
The Committee for the First Amendment, referring to the president and first lady’s statement, said in part, “Their 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.”
“Our 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,” the group added.
Fonda’s father, Hollywood star Henry Fonda, launched the original incarnation of the organization in 1947 to oppose the House Un-American Activities Committee, which investigated alleged Soviet influence in Hollywood and Washington.
The period is closely associated with Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., an anti-communist crusader who achieved national recognition with his fiery rhetoric and aggressive tactics. McCarthy’s critics characterized him as a demagogue.
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Jane Fonda speaks at protest in D.C.
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Jane Fonda relaunched the organization in October, a month after ABC briefly suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” over the host’s on-air comments about the political motivations of the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“The MAGA gang [is] 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,” Kimmel said on the Sept. 15 episode of his show.
Investigators had not yet released details about the suspect’s possible motive at the time. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said the suspect grew up in a conservative household in Utah but later became influenced by “leftist ideology.”
The week after Kimmel’s suspension, he returned to the airwaves and delivered an emotional monologue. “You understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
In early December, Kimmel signed a one-year extension at ABC to continue hosting the network’s flagship late-night talk show, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Fonda has long advocated for progressive causes, including environmentalism, the Civil Rights Movement, the women’s liberation movement and the LGBTQ rights movement. She publicly protested against the Vietnam War and the Iraq War.
