On Tuesday, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel broke his silence concerning his past donning of blackface in old “Man Show” sketches, though he did not explicitly address reports of his alleged use of the N-word on a past Christmas album.
In a statement released Tuesday, the embattled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host took shots at folks on the right, whom he identified as “those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us,” while offering his apologizes to those “offended” by his actions.
“I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us,” the statement started, “That delay was a mistake. There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.”
“On KROQ radio in the mid-90s, I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone. In the late 90s, I continued impersonating Malone on TV. We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible,” Kimmel admitted. “I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl’s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head.”
“Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing,” he continued, “and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices.”
The host noted that he has “evolved and matured” since his past infractions, a commentary that runs counter to the Left’s so-called “cancel culture” rules that suggest no such change is possible.
“I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me,” Kimmel said. “I love this country too much to allow that. I won’t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.”
Just one day earlier, Kimmel, who consistently preaches left-wing politics and smears the president as racist, was pummeled in the press over reports that he used the N-word multiple times in a song for a Christmas album recorded in 1996, though, ironically, as noted by The Daily Wire, “Kimmel previously pressed actor Tom Arnold to release an alleged ‘N-word’ tape of President Donald Trump, which has not materialized.”
The host recently announced that he’ll be taking the summer off, an announcement that came on the heels of the resurfaced “Man Show” blackface sketches.
“I’m taking this summer off to spend even more time with my family,” Kimmel said last week. “There’s nothing wrong. I’m healthy, my family’s healthy, I just need a couple of months off.”
Statement from @jimmykimmel pic.twitter.com/8eBDG5Kcm8
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 23, 2020
See Kimmel’s full statement, below (via The Hollywood Reporter):
I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us. That delay was a mistake. There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.
On KROQ radio in the mid-90s, I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone. In the late 90s, I continued impersonating Malone on TV. We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible. I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl’s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head. I’ve done dozens of impressions of famous people, including Snoop Dogg, Oprah, Eminem, Dick Vitale, Rosie, and many others. In each case, I thought of them as impersonations of celebrities and nothing more. Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing, and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices.
I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last twenty-plus years, and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show. I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me. I love this country too much to allow that. I won’t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.
My summer vacation has been planned for more than a year and includes the next two summers off as well. I will be back to work in September.
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to explain and to those I’ve disappointed, I am sorry.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Kimmel
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