This article was written by Karen Crouse and published on <a href="https://sportandstate.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sport &amp; State</a>, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
* * * * *
So, Sunny Hostin cannibalized the truth — no surprise to anybody who has watched the misinformation campaign that passes for discourse on the ABC coffee klatch, “The View.” The shock is that this time Hostin, one of the show’s co-hosts, didn’t misremember anything said or done by President Donald Trump, a favorite target.
The person whose actions Hostin lied about this week were her own. Kudos to the New York Post for exposing the truth about the claims she made on Tuesday’s show that she was the lone holdout juror in an infamous 1991 New York City trial of a man, Daniel Rakowitz, accused of murdering his girlfriend, then dismembering and eating parts of her body — and boiling the rest in a soup that he served to the homeless at a local park, hence his acquired moniker “Butcher of Tompkins Square Park.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sunny Hostin&#8217;s claim that she was lone holdout in NYC cannibalism trial shot down by multiple sources from the time <a href="https://t.co/GYRWt85Ewi">https://t.co/GYRWt85Ewi</a> <a href="https://t.co/HBDHNnkZvz">pic.twitter.com/HBDHNnkZvz</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/2103163744054333530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Hostin’s tumble into truthiness — the term coined by the late night host Stephen Colbert to describe facts rooted in “knowing with your heart” — calls to mind the hot water that <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/was-brian-williams-a-victim-of-false-memory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/was-brian-williams-a-victim-of-false-memory/">boiled NBC News anchor Brian Williams</a> in 2015, when it came out that he had been lying for years about riding in a helicopter that was shot down by enemy fire while on a 2003 reporting tour in Iraq.
Williams was in one of four U.S. Army aircraft forced to land that day to avoid enemy fire. That much was true. But another helicopter was the one actually hit. Williams, who later apologized and said he had no idea what caused him to conflate one helicopter with another, was suspended without pay for six months. He lost his anchor seat permanently when his NBC bosses decided to stick with his replacement, Lester Holt.
In levying the suspension, NBC officials explained that Williams had jeopardized the trust that its viewers placed in the newscast and that he had a responsibility to be truthful and to embody the news division’s high standards.
At the time, psychologists ascribed Williams’ lie to a phenomenon known as a “false memory,” which is a recollection of an event or detail that a person genuinely believes to be true but is actually a distortion of reality or a fabrication out of whole cloth. The phenomenon could also explain other misremembering like Hillary Rodham Clinton once claiming to have been under sniper fire in Bosnia and Mitt Romney remembering an event that occurred before he was born.
It speaks to the malleability of memory that our past can be reshaped in our own minds by the stories we tell ourselves. Similarly to Williams, Hostin was not making up the part about being on the jury. But what caused her to conflate one jury member with another? According to the New York Post, it was widely reported at the time — and confirmed by a law enforcement source this week — that the holdout juror was a man.
Will Hostin face the same discipline from her bosses that Williams accepted from his? And if she does, will she say it’s because of her sex or race as she does when alleging discriminatory behavior she has been made to endure? A recent case in point was when she asserted that she was a victim of Hollywood gatekeeping “around Black and Brown creative content” because the tawdry book trilogy she had written had not been made into a series or films.
This is the second time in a matter of months that Hostin, 57, has made headlines for behavior unbecoming of a network television talking head. Over the summer, she <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/sunny-hostin-plea-police-backfires-154500308.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/sunny-hostin-plea-police-backfires-154500308.html">unsuccessfully attempted</a> to prevent her 24-year-old son from receiving a trespassing citation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is perfect. <a href="https://t.co/ya2QR9xFho">https://t.co/ya2QR9xFho</a>
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://x.com/ClayTravis/status/2078686926291214551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Police bodycam footage showed officers approaching her son, Gabriel, on active Metro-North property in Westchester County, N.Y., and placing him in handcuffs while he spoke to his mother on the phone.
Hostin arrived on the scene by car and informed officers that she was one of the co-hosts of “The View” and also a former federal prosecutor and that her son, a Harvard graduate, is not someone who gets into trouble. She asked them not to issue a citation.
Never mind those police officers; how can ABC viewers believe a word Hostin says from here on out? Has she given her bosses cause to pull the plug on a show that has been on life support for a while? Stay tuned.

Sunny-Hostin-The-View-ABC-editorial-16×9-1-1536×864

‘The View’ Co-Host Sunny Hostin Has Trouble Telling The Truth (Again); Will ABC Respond?

brian williams

entertainment

media credibility

sunny hostin

the view

“The View” is thumbing its nose at the Federal Communications Commission amid the ongoing review of the show’s “bona fide news program” status. Sparked by the show’s inclusion of candidates as guests, the FCC is paying particular attention to how “The View” aims to influence elections, including<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/05/18/view-demands-votes-democrats-if-americans-want-end"> blatant efforts to electioneer</a> by explicitly telling people to “vote Democrats” into office. They kicked off Season 30 with more lies aimed at scaring people to the polls to vote against Republicans, while also lying about what the wave of Democratic Socialist nominees actually stood for.
In their very first episode of the season, moderator Whoopi Goldberg proclaimed that if Americans didn’t vote to “change” who was in power in the midterms, then everyone in the country would<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/09/08/view-vote-democratic-midterms-or-everyone-will-literally-die"> “literally” die</a> as a result:
<blockquote>
This is what we can tell you: If you want to see change, you got to make the change. It doesn&#8217;t matter your color. It doesn&#8217;t matter if you&#8217;re a Democrat or Republican, if you want change, you got to get out there and make it happen. And you got to find every way that you can to vote.
(…)
Find out where you can vote and help your elders get to the places to vote. Help everybody you can to get out this vote because our lives literally depend on this.
</blockquote>
As an extra incentive to vote for Democrats, Sunny Hostin suggested that losing control of Congress would give President Trump’s Cabinet the opening to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office:
<blockquote>
But think about if the Republicans — I think when the Republicans lose the House, and they lose the Senate, they&#8217;re going to want to have some control over this person, this person that is in the office, and J.D. Vance would then be that replacement. And I wonder if the Cabinet then looks at each other and says, “Okay, we&#8217;ve got to take control of this, 25th Amendment.”
</blockquote>
Trying to scare Americans into voting against Republicans wasn’t enough. They also had to make sure they weren’t afraid to vote for the slate of Democratic Socialist extremists put up by their party. To that end, that was <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/09/10/view-hates-fettermans-gop-message-claims-dsa-only-about">Hostin and Goldberg’s effort</a> later in the week.
Following Senator John Fetterman’s (D-PA) message at the Republican midterm convention to stand against the far-Left of his party, Hostin was offended that he would “try to use the word &#8216;socialism&#8217; as a boogieman. He&#8217;s playing right into Republican hands.” “Communists. They call liberals communists,” Joy Behar clutched her pearls.
When token “Republican” Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out that their party had just nominated a slew of socialists, Hostin claimed they weren’t real socialists, and Goldberg insisted they were only concerned about “Social Security”:
<blockquote>
FARAH GRIFFIN: You guys did just nominate socialists in a number of states for the House.
HOSTIN: Democratic socialism is very different than —
[Crosstalk]
HOSTIN: It&#8217;s very different than communism.
GOLDBERG: Social Security! Social Security!
</blockquote>
“The View” has been very open about admitting that the show is meant to be a vector to help the Democratic Party. They’re trying to do what they can ahead of Election Day, defying the FCC and ignoring that it violates ABC’s broadcast license. ABC is fully supporting it.
***
Nicholas C. Fondacaro is the associate editor for the Media Research Center and NewsBusters.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, SARA HAINES, JOY BEHAR, SUNNY HOSTIN, ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN

Talk Show or Campaign Ad? ‘The View’ Dares The FCC

2026 midterm election

federal communications commission

whoopi goldberg

Jimmy Kimmel’s 24-year run in late-night television may end next year, according to a report that ABC is flatly denying. 
<a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/09/08/entertainment/jimmy-kimmels-late-night-show-set-to-end-after-next-season-after-24-years/">Page Six</a> reported Tuesday that ABC does not plan to extend Kimmel&#8217;s contract after it expires in May 2027 and that the upcoming season of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is expected to be the show’s last, citing sources familiar with the situation. 
“His contract is not getting extended,” one source told the outlet.
ABC pushed back on the report, saying it has not made a decision about the show&#8217;s future.
“This information is inaccurate — any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative,” a network spokesman told Page Six.
Kimmel, 58, signed a one-year extension with Disney in December 2025 after his previous contract was set to expire in May 2026. He has maintained an unusual arrangement with ABC, frequently signing year-to-year contracts rather than the multiyear agreements common among major television hosts, giving him more flexibility as speculation about his eventual retirement continues.
If the Page Six report is accurate, Kimmel’s final episode would air in May 2027, bringing a run that began in January 2003.
The report surfaced as Kimmel prepares to return to ABC on Tuesday night following his summer hiatus. The network has scheduled Andrew Garfield and Joey King to join him for his return. ABC’s schedule confirms the show will continue to air at 11:35 p.m. throughout the week.
Kimmel&#8217;s potential departure follows a turbulent year for the late-night host. In September 2025, ABC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abc-pulls-jimmy-kimmels-late-night-show-indefinitely-after-charlie-kirk-comments?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=ABC+Pulls+Jimmy+Kimmel%E2%80%99s+Late+Night+Show+%E2%80%98Indefinitely%E2%80%99+After+Charlie+Kirk+Comments">pulled</a> his show from the air following controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
ABC initially said the program would be preempted indefinitely before Kimmel returned to the air several days later.
Kimmel has also remained one of President Donald Trump’s most frequent critics in late-night television, while Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to take action against the comedian. The political dispute has continued into 2026, although the sources cited by Page Six reportedly do not believe politics is the reason for the alleged decision to end the show.
Instead, Page Six reported that cost-cutting and restructuring at Disney could be a factor. The company has undergone broader restructuring under Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, including efforts to reduce costs.
Kimmel’s potential departure would come amid a broader shake-up in late-night television. CBS recently ended “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” another long-running program hosted by a comedian who has frequently targeted Trump and his administration.
&nbsp;

JIMMY KIMMEL

Jimmy Kimmel May Be Running Out Of Late Nights

charlie kirk

disney

jimmy kimmel

jimmy kimmel live

late night television

Earlier this week,<a href="https://archive.is/uqC0x#selection-1217.0-1217.164"> the Daily Mail reported</a> or possibly sensationalized accounts from sources close to former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who claimed not only was she invited to be a guest on ABC’s “The View,” but she was also under consideration to be a permanent co-host.
But why would the far-left “View,” which carefully curates who they bring on and which opinions they allow to be shared, want someone so pro-Trump? It could be just a ploy to get the Federal Communications Commission off their backs.
According to the Daily Mail, the idea of Leavitt being a guest and a possible co-host received positive support from inside the White House, including from President Trump:
<blockquote>
But ABC&#8217;s The View wants outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to join the panel show, two sources tell the Daily Mail.
Leavitt is said to be considering the idea, which has been met with enthusiastic support from President Donald Trump and other White House officials.
</blockquote>
But why?
If the reporting was accurate, ABC and “The View” might eye this as a way to curry favor with the Trump administration.
For weeks, “The View”’s status as a “bona fide news program” has been under scrutiny by the FCC, an effort<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/06/23/mrc-leads-charge-strip-view-bona-fide-news-status"> cheered on</a> by the Media Research Center and its over 2,400 “separate pieces of evidence documenting “The View”’s pervasive bias and, at times, willful electioneering as exhibits to this comment.”
Key to the arguments against “The View” is their obvious aversion to inviting actual conservatives and Republicans, especially ones that are pro-Trump. A<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/07/29/views-number-conservative-guests-swells-5-compared-87"> Media Research Center study</a> found that, in their most recent season, they only had five conservative guests to their 87 liberal ones. Additionally, both of the show’s purported “conservatives,” Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin, were anti-Trump voices.
A reversal of “The View”’s “bona fide news program” status could be the first domino to fall that could lead to eight ABC-owned-and-operated affiliates<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/08/05/mrc-strikes-back-abcdisney-pushes-denial-license-renewals"> losing their broadcast licenses</a>.
As I noted for<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2026/08/27/report-view-seeks-hire-outgoing-karoline-leavitt-panel"> NewsBusters</a> earlier this week, the FCC’s review seems to be affecting the show’s upcoming season, particularly their guest bookings. After two consecutive years of kicking off their seasons with prominent liberal figures (liberal Justices <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2025/09/09/view-fears-defunding-education-dept-means-no-one-can-read">Sonia Sotomayor</a> and <a href="https://x.com/NickFondacaro/status/1831357159138787553">Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>), they seemed to be staying away from booking such overtly political figures.
If only booked as a guest, Leavitt would be their first booking of a political/government figure so far for Season 30. One they’ve attacked on their show for<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2025/01/29/views-old-crones-attack-leavitts-looks-and-opposition"> her looks and age</a>.
However, this hinged on reporting from a British tabloid, likely for sensational headlines.
CNN’s<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/27/media/karoline-leavitt-the-view-abc-disney-trump"> Brian Stelter countered</a> The Daily Mail with his own ABC source; and while it was “technically” she was invited, “the implication of the Mail’s headline is false. She would not be a guest host on the talk show or join in a more official capacity.”
“The View” may not be trying to hire Leavitt, but it’s obvious that the FCC’s pressure is influencing who they invite to join them at the table. More importantly, however, it’s expanding the views allowed on “The View.”
***
Nicholas C. Fondacaro is the associate editor for the Media Research Center and NewsBusters.

US-POLITICS-LEAVITT

Why Would ‘The View’ Want Karoline Leavitt To Co-Host?

karoline leavitt

media research center

politics

The Walt Disney Company and ABC sued the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, accusing the agency of violating the company’s First Amendment rights through an unprecedented early review of its broadcast licenses.
The lawsuit marks one of the most aggressive legal challenges yet by a major media company against the Trump administration and comes amid an escalating fight between Disney, ABC, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, and President Donald Trump over the network’s programming — centered on late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Disney’s eight ABC-owned television stations <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kimmel-uproar-spills-over-abc-stations-now-under-review-what-it-means-for-your-tv">were ordered</a> by the FCC in April to begin the license renewal process years ahead of schedule. The stations’ licenses were not otherwise due for renewal until 2028 at the earliest.
Disney argues that the FCC’s action is an unconstitutional attempt to pressure the company over the content it broadcasts. “Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts,” Disney attorneys wrote in the lawsuit.
The company is asking a federal court to immediately block the FCC from taking or threatening action against Disney’s ABC stations in connection with the early renewal process. ABC has also requested a speedy hearing and a temporary restraining order.
Trump has repeatedly called for Kimmel to be fired, including after the president accused the late-night host of making a “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-wants-kimmel-fired-over-despicable-assassination-comment">despicable call to violence</a>” about the president and first lady Melania Trump. The FCC’s early review, however, formally centers on ABC’s broadcast licenses and the agency’s authority to determine whether broadcasters are operating in the “public interest.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has defended the agency’s actions, arguing that broadcasters using the nation’s public airwaves have obligations that do not apply to cable channels, streaming services, or podcasts. “If you want to uniquely be on the public’s airwaves, you have to comply with those obligations,” Carr told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/10/first-on-cnbc-transcript-fcc-chairman-brendan-carr-speaks-with-cnbcs-squawk-on-the-street-today.html">CNBC</a> in July.
Carr has argued that the FCC is not attempting to dictate what broadcasters say but is instead seeking to ensure that companies holding broadcast licenses meet their obligations to the public. Disney and ABC have rejected that characterization, previously accusing the FCC of attempting to chill constitutionally protected speech.
The conflict over ABC’s licenses intensified after the administration’s public clashes with Kimmel.
In September 2025, Disney <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abc-pulls-jimmy-kimmels-late-night-show-indefinitely-after-charlie-kirk-comments">briefly pulled</a> “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air after Carr publicly criticized Kimmel over comments he made following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel had questioned the motives attributed to Kirk’s alleged killer and criticized Republicans for their response to the killing.
The network ultimately returned Kimmel to the air, but the episode became a major flashpoint in the broader dispute over whether the government was improperly attempting to influence the content of broadcast television.
Disney’s lawsuit now argues that the FCC’s actions represent an “existential threat” to the company and its First Amendment rights.
“The Commission issued an unprecedented order requiring the Stations to file early applications to renew their licenses — years before any of their licenses would have come up for renewal in the ordinary course and allowing only thirty days to file applications which ordinarily take months to prepare,” Disney attorneys Beth Wilkinson and Paul Clement <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/abc-disney-sues-fcc-trump-administration-first-amendment-rcna593088">wrote</a>.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro signaled last week that the company was prepared to continue fighting the administration. “We’re going to stand up to what we believe is journalistic integrity,” D’Amaro told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/14/first-on-cnbc-transcript-disney-ceo-josh-damaro-speaks-with-cnbcs-julia-boorstin-on-squawk-on-the-street-today.html">CNBC</a>. “And we’re not going to be told how to run that side of our business.”
“I like what we do. We tell incredible stories. I think we do it well. We do it around the world. And we’re going to stay committed to that,” he added.
The FCC has not indicated that Disney’s licenses will be revoked, and the agency’s review itself does not establish that ABC has violated federal law or FCC rules.
But the legal battle pits the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive approach toward broadcast media directly against one of the country’s largest entertainment companies.
The case could ultimately force the courts to address how far the federal government can go in enforcing the obligations attached to broadcast licenses without crossing the constitutional line into government control over protected speech.
Disney is asking the court to halt the FCC’s early renewal process while the broader dispute plays out.

Disney

Disney Goes To War With Trump’s FCC Over ABC, Jimmy Kimmel

brendan carr

The Federal Communications Commission is challenging Disney&#8217;s broadcast licenses as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel.
An <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2049194436505354626?s=20">FCC official confirmed to The Daily Wire</a> that ABC’s licenses are undergoing an early review, despite the standard renewal process that&#8217;s still several years off. Broadcast stations, including ABC, cannot operate over publicly owned airwaves without FCC licensing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: FCC orders the Walt Disney Company, American Broadcasting Company, and television subsidiaries to file early license renewal applications for their television stations.
&#8220;The FCC has been investigating The Walt Disney Company, its American Broadcasting Company, and its… <a href="https://t.co/8KZzuyMIsX">pic.twitter.com/8KZzuyMIsX</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2049194436505354626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
The FCC has already scrutinized ABC’s broadcast license in connection with the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices. In an April 28 order, David J. Brown, chief of the video division, said the FCC has been investigating the Walt Disney Company for compliance violations.
&#8220;Specifically, the FCC has been investigating Disney’s ABC stations for possible violations of the Communications Act of 1934 and the FCC’s rules, including the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination. While Disney’s ABC has purported to respond to two FCC Letters of Inquiry Federal Communications Commission DA 26-416 2 (LOIs) as part of this investigation, the FCC has determined that additional actions are appropriate at this time,&#8221; Brown said.
&#8220;The FCC determines that calling in Disney’s ABC licenses for early renewal, at this time, under the Communications Act’s public interest standard is essential within the meaning of agency regulations,&#8221; the order stated.
Disney will be required to file renewals for all of its licensed TV stations by May 28, 2026.
A Disney spokesperson confirmed the order and vowed the company will fight it.
&#8220;ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public‑interest programming. We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment, and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels,&#8221; the company said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
If the FCC starts pressuring or reviewing licenses, local ABC stations could be forced to change how they operate — what they air, how they cover stories, even who they hire. That can trickle down into less freedom in programming or more cautious, filtered content. For everyday Americans, it could mean the news and entertainment you see is shaped more by regulatory pressure than just editorial decisions — especially on major networks you already watch every day.
The escalating FCC-Disney feud comes as conservatives called on the network to oust late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for joking that First Lady Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow” — just days before a gunman attempted to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents&#8217; dinner.
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” the First Lady said in a rare rebuke. “People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him,” she added. “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,” she added.
Soon after, the president piled on, saying Kimmel &#8220;should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.&#8221;
In a Monday night monologue, a defiant Kimmel defended his remarks and refused to apologize.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” he said. “It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”
“I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular,” he said. “But I understand that the First Lady had a stressful experience over the weekend … and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house. And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”

Jimmy Kimmel

Kimmel Uproar Spills Over, ABC Stations Now Under Review. What It Means For Your TV.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel decided that instead of apologizing for his ill-timed, tasteless, and absolutely unfunny “joke” about the first lady looking forward to being a widow, he was going to double down.
The comedian said as much during his monologue Monday night after being trashed by everyone for days, including Melania Trump herself.
&#8220;I said, &#8216;Our first lady Melania&#8217;s here, look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.&#8217; Which, obviously, was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they&#8217;re together. It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he&#8217;s almost 80 and she&#8217;s younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,&#8221; Kimmel, an avid Trump critic, insisted.
“There was no big reaction to it until this morning, when I faced yet another Twitter vomit storm and calls to fire me from our first lady,” the host added.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/Om9afaax3au8c2eT7fV8byzEd4JvTCQ8?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=8173e85f-bad2-4eab-b362-ba288df1367f&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Jimmy%20Kimmel%20hits%20back%20at%20critics%20over%20Melania%20%E2%80%98widow%E2%80%99%20joke%20and%20refuses%20to%20apologize&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2F5c8f5834-8d0d-4dc2-8468-622fb138f4ae.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Critics pointed out how if it were Democrats in power, a “joke” like that about the president’s death mere days before an assassination attempt would be treated like a national crisis.
Melania did not mince words in a scathing X post she shared Monday morning.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough.  It is time for ABC to take a stand,” the first lady added. “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Kimmel’s fake roast aired two days before California educator Cole Allen, 31, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton armed with multiple weapons. He managed to strike an officer in his bulletproof vest before being detained and transported to a medical facility.
President Trump and other high-ranking officials were evacuated safely from the event, and there were no fatalities.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also blasted Kimmel for his “expectant widow” comments and called on ABC to reprimand the outspoken host.
&#8220;Who in their right mind says a wife would be &#8216;glowing&#8217; over the potential murder of her beloved husband?!” Leavitt said.
&#8220;And having experienced what I did with the First Lady on Saturday night, I can tell you that she was anything but that. This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely deranged, and it&#8217;s unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night after night,&#8221; she added.
Kimmel’s show was briefly suspended in September after erroneous statements he made about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk. He issued a statement afterwards, but did not apologize.

Jimmy Kimmel Hits Back At Critics Over Melania ‘Widow’ Joke And Refuses To Apologize

assassination attempt

comedian

donald trump

media

melania trump

television

I spent the day watching more of “The View” than I ever have before in my life.
Turns out, the insufferable hosts of this failing network show, on Disney-owned ABC, took it upon themselves to spend seven uninterrupted minutes on national television <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-host-fires-back-after-the-view-melts-down-over-her-support-for-young-families?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Daily+Wire+Host+Fires+Back+After+%E2%80%98The+View%E2%80%99+Melts+Down+Over+Her+Support+For+Young+Families">bashing me</a> by name, and anyone else with the audacity to promote marriage and parenthood to Gen Z.
I’ve been a content creator since 2019, covering some of the most contentious issues in the American culture war, and I’ve gotta be honest: I never thought this, my most wholesome, pro-America take, would be the thing I’d get attacked for.
Last week, I joined a panel of incredible women on stage at CPAC to discuss the importance of the American family, and was asked specifically to talk about what it’s going to take to save America. My answer was one <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-host-torches-the-view-over-claim-only-rich-women-can-afford-kids?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Daily+Wire+Host+Torches+%E2%80%98The+View%E2%80%99+Over+Claim+Only+Rich+Women+Can+Afford+Kids">I often repeat</a> in speeches or interviews, and reflects a simple timeless truth — we must renew the importance of the family as the cornerstone of society again to a generation that’s being lied to about it. Addressing a crowd older than myself, I said this:
<blockquote>If you’re not encouraging your children to grow up and have the courage to grow up to get married and have kids — more kids than they can afford, before they think they’re ready, it is high time to start.</blockquote>
Before long, Whoopi Goldberg &amp; company would be furious and virtually foaming at the mouth over the very idea that I promote marriage and motherhood to my generation, and dedicated an entire segment of everyone’s favorite “View-erless” show to launch an attack. 
The “anti-family” segment on &#8220;The View&#8221; opened with Whoopi predictably labeling me a racist – because, clearly, I must only want more white people to have children as a white woman myself. That’s obviously not true. 
But it’s a curious criticism coming from Whoopi Goldberg, an ardent supporter of the abortion industry, which grew in America specifically as a way to kill black babies in the womb at the hands of renowned and infamous eugenicist Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood.
In 2022, Black women made up about 40 % of all abortions reported in the U.S. – in New York City today, as Whoopi Goldberg runs her mouth on television from the heart of Manhattan, you are more likely to be aborted as a black baby than you are to be born… all in the name of racial progress and equity, right?
Let me be clear: the only racial component to any of this is the continued desire by the abortion industry to convince black women it’s more empowering to end the lives of their children than to give birth to them.
Moving through the panel, Sara Haines spent her time on air reminding viewers that having kids is a choice. That’s true. But what about my choice, and that of literally billions of other women around the world, to get married and have children? The very notion is seemingly unfathomable to the women on this miserable panel.
In other words, if you make the choice to “want” kids – it’s the wrong choice. You’re less of a woman. You aren’t a feminist. You don’t support equality. You deserve to be publicly SHAMED, which is exactly what they proceed to do to me.
Ironically, every woman but one around that table has children of their own. And every one of them is either in a long-term relationship or has been married. They somehow make it work as working moms. They have had the courage to commit their lives to someone they love. They get to snuggle their babies at the end of a long day of work — so, why isn’t it worth pursuing for you?
For the rest of the segment, all of the hosts collectively wasted air throwing out every anti-natalist argument to see what would stick.
They lied, saying having children is somehow beneath women, that we as a sex (amazing, how suddenly we can all define woman, right?) have come “too far” to still be sucked into the innate, natural, instinctual desire to have a beautiful baby and share your life with someone.
They lied, claiming childcare costs a whopping $400,000 a year, so must be financially inaccessible to anyone outside of the 1% of the 1%. For the record, it costs about $10,000-$15,000 on average a year… but I wouldn’t expect a woman screaming at me in an $800 jacket to know.
They lied, saying if you want a baby you must be in an abusive, oppressive marriage to an evil, misogynistic man–and someone ought to help you escape with a divorce attorney. To clarify: I love my husband, and no one is more supportive of my motherhood journey or my career.
They lied, saying that I must not understand how tough having kids are because I have a mere one-year-old, who “just sleeps all day.” News to me, after over a year of my life not sleeping all the way through the night.
They lied, saying that breastfeeding ruins your boobs. I know Whitney Cummings remains deeply concerned about my breasts – after 11 months of breastfeeding my daughter, they’re doing just fine.
They lied, of course, to claim we’re facing an overpopulation crisis, which is objectively the opposite of our current reality. In fact, over half of the world’s countries and areas now have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. These countries represent over two-thirds of the global population, and that number is expected to increase to over 90% by the end of this century.
By 2030, nearly 45% of American women aged 25-44 are projected to be single and childless.
It’s not hard to understand why – virtually every single influencer, television show, movie, college professor, woke pastor, politician, and mainstream media outlet today is dedicating massive air time to trying to convince you NOT to have kids.
Why? Because they want you miserable and lonely. They are intentionally seeking to brainwash you into what my friend &amp; fellow mom Allie Beth Stuckey calls “Toxic Empathy,” so you think you&#8217;re a better person and more compassionate for essentially hating children.
In fact, getting married and having kids is better for everyone in the long term. One study found that having kids increases your wealth by 23% throughout your life. Young married moms are three times happier than their unmarried, childless counterparts. Statistically, married, religious couples with children have the most satisfying intimate lives.
Most importantly, the joy and purpose we experience in sharing our lives with our children is unparalleled anywhere else in our often empty and meaningless society.
How dare we want that for the next generation, right?
I further find no coincidence that this segment aired this week at the start to Holy Week as we walk toward Christ’s Passion on the cross this Friday and His resurrection into heaven on Easter Sunday. The family is the most beautiful example we have of God’s perfect design for humanity. His love is exemplified for us as we lay down our lives for one another, humbling ourselves to serve our spouses and our children. The family, as a result, presents an unparalleled threat to the demonic forces of evil and darkness in our world.
St. John Paul II said during his tenure as Pope, “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live,” and “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.”
&#8220;The View’s&#8221; attack on the family and those promoting it is just the latest example of spiritual warfare being waged against what is good and true and beautiful, and we must remain deeply committed to sharing the timeless truth of God even in today’s culture.
Mother Teresa once famously said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” These words have always been meaningful to me, but certainly have packed a huge gut punch this week as I reflect on the unexpected backlash to such a simple message I shared on stage last week.
It’s a call to action for all of us to ponder, and determine what course we will walk as we work to build our own American Dream as a generation among Gen Z.
The truth is, there’s no better advertisement for the joy of a God-centered marriage than the alternative being blast on full display from the set of &#8220;The View&#8221; – would you rather live among the misery, contempt, and judgment of these angry middle aged women, or pursue purpose and fulfillment in marriage and motherhood while you can?
So, thanks to the ladies of &#8220;The View&#8221; for giving me another opportunity to address this issue. In case it wasn’t clear, I stand by everything I said at CPAC. And in case you’re still unsure at this point, let me reiterate:
Have the courage to fall in love, get married, and make more babies.
It’s good for the world, and even better for you.

JOY BEHAR, SARA HAINES, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ROBIN WRIGHT, SUNNY HOSTIN, ALYSSA FARAH

I Told Gen Z To Get Married And Have Kids — ‘The View’ Lost Its Mind

I Told Gen Z To Get Married And Have Kids — 'The View' Lost Its Mind

children

feminism

marriage

planned parenthood

Reality star Taylor Frankie Paul has released another statement following the cancellation of her season of “The Bachelorette,” promising to reveal more of her story soon.
The 31-year-old “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” alum released the update via her spokesperson. This came after a video of an alleged domestic violence incident between her and then-partner Dakota Mortensen was released to TMZ and then blasted all over social media. 
&#8220;Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” the statement said, per <a href="https://people.com/taylor-frankie-paul-speaks-out-bachelorette-cancellation-11928842">People</a>. 
&#8220;There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.&#8221;
A previous statement from Paul’s rep noted that the video “omits context” and insinuated that Mortensen was the abuser, not the victim.
A Disney Entertainment spokesperson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-video-shows-taylor-frankie-paul-brutally-attacking-baby-daddy-bachelorette-axed">announced</a> Thursday that this season of “The Bachelorette,” which Paul was starring in, was put on hold. “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” the statement said.
“The Bachelorette” was slated to premiere this Sunday, on March 22. The network is projected to lose millions due to the cancellation, from advertising dollars to viewers to wasted promotion fees and beyond.
The decision was made shortly after TMZ published a video of Paul getting into a physical altercation with Mortensen, the father of her child, Ever. Paul has the majority custody of Ever. She also has two children, daughters Indy and Ocean, 5, with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.
“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen can be heard saying as he films their fight. Paul can be seen throwing chairs at him while her daughter, Indy, now 8, was in the room and crying.
Mortensen says at another point, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.”
The incident occurred in 2023. Paul pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault at the time, meaning that if she complied with the conditions of the plea, that charge would be dismissed.
The newest season of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was also put on hold just days before the cancellation because of &#8220;some pretty serious stuff happening regarding [Paul&#8217;s] past,&#8221; a source told People.

Taylor Frankie Paul

READ IT: ‘Mormon Wives’ Star Taylor Frankie Paul Responds To Baby Daddy Attack Video

Reality TV

A spokesperson for Taylor Frankie Paul pushed back following the release of a video of her allegedly engaging in domestic abuse with her baby daddy.
“It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son&#8217;s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences,” the spokesperson told People.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of &#8220;The Bachelorette&#8221; has been canceled by ABC following the release of a video of her allegedly engaging in domestic abuse with her baby daddy and former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, per <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/19/abc-cancels-the-bachelorette-starring-taylor-frankie-paul/">TMZ</a>.
A Disney Entertainment spokesperson told the outlet, “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of &#8216;The Bachelorette&#8217; at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.”
The decision was made shortly after TMZ published a video of Paul getting into a physical altercation with Mortensen, the father of her child, Ever. Paul has the majority custody of Ever. She also has two children, daughters Indy and Ocean, 5, with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Frankie Paul repeatedly attacked Dakota Mortensen during the 2023 incident in which she pled guilty to aggravated assault; video shows that one of her children was struck during the fight.
Trigger Warning. <a href="https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn">https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn</a> <a href="https://t.co/avr49EacY3">pic.twitter.com/avr49EacY3</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/2034673546341797906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen can be heard saying as he films their fight. Paul can be seen throwing chairs at him while her daughter, Indy, now 8, was in the room and crying.
Mortensen says at another point, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.”
Paul, made famous on the series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” was arrested for alleged domestic violence in 2023 following an argument with Mortensen, per <a href="https://people.com/taylor-frankie-paul-throws-chairs-at-dakota-mortensen-with-child-nearby-in-leaked-video-11930003">People</a>. She pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, meaning that if she complied with the conditions of the plea, that charge would be dismissed. The show was also put on hold after the video surfaced. “The Bachelorette” was slated to premiere on Sunday, March 22.
Besides starring on “Mormon Wives,” she is also one of the creators of #MomTok, a group of Utah moms who create popular dancing TikTok videos.
Paul spoke with People on March 17 as she was still promoting her season of &#8220;The Bachelorette.&#8221;
&#8220;Honestly, just like, my heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time,&#8221; she told the outlet. &#8220;Just the timing is hard, and it’s a big deal. I feel like every premiere that I’ve experienced, I’ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one&#8230; it’s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today.”
&#8220;It’s a heavy time, and it’s unfortunate,&#8221; Paul continued. &#8220;I’m struggling for sure, but also at the same time I feel like if I don’t show up, then I’m just giving these opportunities away and not enjoying what we’ve worked on and something super exciting that’s coming. I just feel like it was the right thing to do&#8230; show up even though it’s hard.&#8221;
&nbsp;

WATCH: Video Shows Taylor Frankie Paul Brutally Attacking Baby Daddy — ‘Bachelorette’ Axed

the bachelor

U.S.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is still complaining about his brief hiatus from television, this time by claiming that conservative media outlets “maliciously mischaracterized” what he said about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The 57-year-old rehashed the topic during the annual Bloomberg Screentime event on Wednesday.
“I didn&#8217;t think there was a big problem,” Kimmel said of his initial reaction to the killing of Kirk. “I just saw it as distortion on the part of some of the right-wing media networks, and I aimed to correct it.”
Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw said Kimmel’s comments were likely “mischaracterized,” and Kimmel agreed.
“It was intentionally and I think maliciously mischaracterized,” Kimmel replied. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jimmy Kimmel on His Return to Air and Late Night’s Future in the Trump Era" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pSvFLrrSu94?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Kimmel came under fire last month for saying “the MAGA gang” was “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.”
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His show was suspended after that, sparking national outrage from the entertainment industry and others, who perceived pressure from the Trump administration as an attack on free speech. The suspension lasted less than a week, and upon his return, Kimmel delivered a tearful non-apology during his monologue.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, addressing his earlier comments about Kirk. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for what was the actions … of an obviously deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both, and to those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset.”
While speaking with Bloomberg, Kimmel said his first episode back “probably went as well as it could go.”
The late-night host had previously suggested that the Trump administration was behind his suspension, but then, during his interview with Bloomberg, Kimmel said he’d “love to have Trump on the show.”
Kimmel’s comeback episode drew big numbers — but the bump didn’t last.

Kimmel Claims His Comments On Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Were ‘Maliciously Mischaracterized’

Kimmel Claims His Comments On Charlie Kirk's Assassination Were 'Maliciously Mischaracterized'

Celebrities

Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t help but gloat about his post-suspension viewership spike, going so far as to publicly thank President Donald Trump for making it all possible. But after a very brief ratings boost, those numbers have come crashing back down to normal.
The ABC late-night host was temporarily taken off the air after comments he made about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. After a suspension that lasted less than a week, Kimmel returned to the air with a tearful non-apology, whining about how his words must have been misconstrued.
Kimmel’s return last Tuesday evening drew a record-breaking 6.3 million viewers, more than triple his regular audience. By Thursday, those numbers had dropped by 64%, leveling off at 2.3 million.
In the coveted demographic of viewers aged 25-54, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” dropped from 1.7 million viewers on Tuesday to 465,000 on Thursday, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/media/jimmy-kimmel-sheds-64-of-audience-after-short-lived-ratings-spike-following-suspension/">The New York Post</a>.
The saga began earlier this month when Kimmel was accused of slandering conservatives when he suggested Kirk’s assassin was part of the “MAGA gang,” despite authorities saying otherwise. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
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While the host addressed the controversy during his return monologue, many viewers found his comments to be insincere, noting that he stopped short of apologizing for what he had said.
“Kimmel is an unrepentant liar who tried to blame Charlie’s assassination on the part of the country that just spent the last 2 weeks praying and holding vigils,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said in response, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unrepentant-liar-charlie-kirks-team-is-not-buying-jimmy-kimmels-crocodile-tears">reported</a>. “What he’s really saying is that he still thinks it’s fair game to slander conservatives. He would rather advance his own political and cultural agenda than confront the truth.”
Kolvet added, “It’s critical that liars admit they lied. There can be no restoration without that. Anything short of that is a fake and scripted cry line designed to endear him to his fans, not to make right the wrong he committed.”
The Left is exploiting Kimmel’s suspension to push the narrative that free speech is under siege and to fault the Trump administration for silencing critics. But others have noted how ABC made a business decision to suspend Kimmel, which they were well within their rights to do.

Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Spike Crashes Back Down To His Usual Terrible Numbers

Jimmy Kimmel Viewership Spike Crashes Back Down To Terrible Numbers As Usual

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