Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Tonight was the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. It's usually attended by the President, who gives brief remarks, and a famous comedian provides entertainment. Sometimes this goes over better than others. In 2006, the entertainment -- Stephen Colbert -- was so hostile that many George W. Bush aides walked out. Various liberal groups loved it, of course.
So Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, had the honors tonight and he was absolutely ruthless. Against everyone. But because it was the first time I'd ever seen anyone go after Democrats, I'm still somewhat in shock. I followed the jokes on Twitter as opposed to watching him deliver them, but he was brutal. Here's how Mediaite wrote it up:
Kimmel thanked the President for his appearance tonight, saying “salaam.”
“Mr. President, I know you won’t be able to laugh at any of my jokes about the Secret Service so cover your ears if that’s physically possible,” said Kimmel. “If this had happened on President [Bill] Clinton’s watch, you can damn well bet those Secret Service agents would have been disciplined with a very serious high five.”
Kimmel joked about the General Services Administration’s scandal, the President’s ability to compromise with the Republican party by conceding to their demands and White House advisor Peter Orszag.
Kimmel also joked about the journey the country has taken with Obama from 2008 to today and how so much has changed. “Mr. President, remember when the country rallied around you in hopes of a better tomorrow,” asked Kimmel. “That was hilarious.”
“There’s a term for President Obama. Probably not two,” said Kimmel. “Even some of your fellow Democrats think you’re a pushover Mr. President. They would like to see you stick to your guns. And if you don’t have any guns, they would like to see you ask [Attorney General] Eric Holder to get some for you. Jake Tapper wrote that.”
“They say diplomacy is a matter of carrots and sticks,” Kimmel said. “And since Mrs. Obama got to the White House, so is dinner.” Kimmel went on a tear about the President’s weight loss and how that reflects on the state of the nation. Targeting Michelle Obama, Kimmel said, “look, it’s [New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie. Get him!”
Kimmel took aim at the Occupy Wall Street movement as well, saying “it took moths of hacky sack and patchouli oil but, finally, Wall Street isn’t greedy anymore.”
Kimmel mocked the recent scandal surrounding Hilary Rosen’s comments about Ann Romney, and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s response that he knew “three” Hilary Rosens. “Three Hilarys,” said Kimmel. “That sounds like Bill Clinton’s worst nightmare.”
He went after Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, the Republican Party in general and Allan West. This is all to be expected of a typical comedian. But it was the other people he went after that I found most interesting:
Democrats, too, were the target of Kimmel’s jokes. “[Rep.] Nancy Pelosi believes in lipstick like she believes in government,” said Kimmel. “Too much is never enough.” He said that Jake Tapper wrote that joke as well.
Kimmel took aim at Keith Olbermann, too, saying “the thing about Keith is he is so likeable.” Kimmel continued, “Al Gore launched Current TV in 2005 and it took off like a North Korean rocket.”
And yes, within moments, Keith Olbermann sent out an angry tweet complaining. (And you should have seen how angry the liberals I follow on Twitter were -- they are simply unaccustomed to being ripped on like this in a high-profile manner.)
On a silly night where D.C. journalists embarrass themselves with their odd invitations to Hollywood celebrities, I'm a bit impressed. It takes precisely no courage to go after Rush Limbaugh. You might recall that a previous host at this event literally wished him dead. But it does take some courage to go after Obama, his failed administration, the scandals that the rest of the media are pretending don't exist, and the Democratic Party in general.
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Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
That Jimmy Kimmel is one brave guy.Doesn't he know about the Administration's policy on crucifixion?
Mar '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Kimmel does have at least a little skin in the game. Don Imus took some heat for his shots at Bill Clinton back in the day. Some of Kimmel's prospective future guests might decide to take a pass on appearing if they object strongly enough to his comments. He's probably not going to get Keith Olberman any time soon, that is, if Keith Olberman can be said to have ever been a "get."
Feb '12
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Watched every minute. Laughter seemed forced and strained, and shocked all at the same time. I kept thinking: 'these people think themselves too too cool for mere mortals'. And taking on Palin again? Really?
May '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
The Romney Dog SuperPAC ad, on the other hand, was very good--any chance it was not produced by SNL? On second thought, it was actually funny, so probably not.
Sep '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
My favorite joke: There's a term for President Obama, probably not two.
Despite all the other jokes at both sides, this one is the most politically devastating, because the very idea that Americans won't put him back in office, in front of the press corps no less, chips away at the power that comes from perceived inevitability.
I like Jimmy Kimmel, and I can't help but think he is a fairly incorruptable regular guy no matter how much money/fame comes his way.
Jan '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
I watched Jimmy Kimmel's routine, and it didn't strike me as anything all that bad or all that great, up until the final part where he bragged about having made it. I remember him as the snarky sidekick to Ben Stein on a quiz show, and now he has a talk show, and now he's going to high five the president.
He's achieved celebrity.
All I could think of was, what do I care?
Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Nerdoisie. A perfect word.
Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
If Kimmel has a talk show on ABC , and ABC is owned by Disney , I would advise everyone to discount his comments by about... 95-102% .In other words, it's a setup folks. That feeling of edgy cockiness in thinking that " we got him good " isn't more than a bit transitory.Not to spoil the passing glee, but Brian Terry's family probably isn't thinking it's too funny to make fun of Holder and the yet-to-be resolved Fast n Furious case .
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
And yet .... it was one of the first times I'd heard Fast And Furious mentioned by a non-conservative. Not in the debates, not on the nightly news, not on the talk shows.
It was fascinating to me, too, how the joke bombed. How could they laugh at something they've worked so hard to downplay? And then for the few journalists that have covered it, they wouldn't laugh because of the body count associated with that scandal.
The response of the crowd interested me almost as much as the jokes.
Nov '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
I liked the joke about Obama's agenda being "red". Or was that a joke?
Nov '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Also, Kimmel's performance puts the lie to all the hacks who say how hard it is to make jokes about President Obama.
Mar '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Grendel:
What a missed opportunity!
Mr Kimmel did start by greeting our Dear Leader with a Salam (no doubt in honor of Mr Obama's Nobel Peace Prize).
Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
EJHill: Is this the same Jimmy Kimmel who just yesterday said, “It’s hard to make fun of Obama in general because he’s a cool character."
Slobbering. · 13 hours ago
Or...
He was lulling them into a false sense of security so that he wouldn't have to deal with the President's communications people harassing him before his set.
Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Franco:
I like Jimmy Kimmel, and I can't help but think he is a fairly incorruptableregular guyno matter how much money/fame comes his way
He was a co-creator of The Man Show, with Adam Carolla no-less. That should give a hint of where he might be coming from. Frankly, I'm surprised he was chosen to host an Obama event.
Sep '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Misthiocracy
Franco:
I like Jimmy Kimmel, and I can't help but think he is a fairly incorruptableregular guyno matter how much money/fame comes his way
He was a co-creator of The Man Show, with Adam Carolla no-less. That should give a hintof where he mightbe coming from. Frankly, I'm surprised he was chosen to host an Obama event. · 47 minutes ago
Oh, I know! I am a HUGE ACE fan. Don't watch Kimmel that much - not a big TV watcher, but I hear reports of Kimmel from Adam and the two are still big pals.
What I wish more conservatives would understand is that there is a very real push-back about political correctness, nanny statism and left-wing hypocrisy coming out of "Hollywood", and the lefties, when faced with guys like Carolla, have no comebacks - at all. There is a big, fat seam of comedy gold in ripping lefties, and Carolla, Parker/Stone, and others have been busy strip-mining. California Gold Rush circa 2012!
Conservatives, don't let the foul language/references scare you away.
Aug '10
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Speaking of comedy and the President, have any of you seen Key and Peele's skits starring Luther, Obama's anger translator?
Don't watch if profanity and disparaging remarks toward the GOP and the Tea Party will offend you.
Seriously, don't, there is plenty of both, but it is genius, very funny stuff.
Edited on April 30, 2012 at 3:19amApr '11
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
And yet .... it was one of the first times I'd heard Fast And Furious mentioned by a non-conservative. Not in the debates, not on the nightly news, not on the talk shows.
It was fascinating to me, too, how the joke bombed. How could they laugh at something they've worked so hard to downplay? And then for the few journalists that have covered it, they wouldn't laugh because of the body count associated with that scandal.
The response of the crowd interested me almost as much as the jokes. · 11 hours ago
I'm guessing a lot of them are simply unaware of it, or so dimly aware of it that they didn't get the reference. Making a big deal of F&F is high on my as yet unfulfilled wish list for Republicans this cycle.
Re: Jimmy Kimmel Goes After Everyone At Correspondents' Dinner
Squishy Blue RINO: Speaking of comedy and the President, have any of you seen Key and Peele's skits starring Luther, Obama's anger translator?
Don't watch if profanity and disparaging remarks toward the GOP and the Tea Party will offend you.
Seriously, don't, there is plenty of both, but it is genius, very funny stuff. · 4 hours ago
Edited 4 hours ago
Not CoC compliant, but I laughed. I'm also reminded that I'd been meaning to watch that show ...