Bill Maher used his Real Time opener on Friday night to talk about the thing that is on pretty much every single late-night TV host’s mind right now: ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel.
As we’ve been reporting, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host has been pulled from the airwaves after comments made on his show earlier this week around the murder of conservative political pundit Charlie Kirk. In the aftermath, all kinds of late-night hosts have come forward to speak about the situation. And now Bill has, too!
Related: Jimmy Kimmel Staffer Speaks Out About The Moment Of The Show’s Suspension, And…
Bill began by saying that Jimmy’s indefinite suspension was handed “24 years to the day” after Bill made his own infamous comments which got him canned by ABC. Back then, in September of 2001, Maher was on his late-night show for the network in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks when he said the 9/11 hijackers were not “cowardly.”
ABC was offended by the remarks, made on Politically Incorrect back then, and the network eventually pulled the plug on him. Maher, of course, eventually went off to Real Time with HBO, where he remains now. But in remarking about Jimmy’s situation, Bill made note of that unexpected anniversary:
“It was 24 years to the day that I made comments on ABC that got me canceled from that network, and Jimmy Kimmel took my slot. Oh, yes, I got canceled before cancel even had a culture.”
He then ripped ABC apart for their move to pull Kimmel:
“ABC, they are steady. ABC stands for ‘Always Be Caving.’”
Ouch!
And he offered up a word of support — and optimism — for Jimmy as well:
“So Jimmy, pal, I am with you. I support you. And on the bright side, you don’t have to pretend anymore that you like Disneyland.”
Watch Bill’s entire segment about it (below):
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[Image via Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube/Bill Maher/YouTube]
