George Clooney ignited a wave of online controversy after coming to the defense of Jimmy Kimmel, who made a controversial remark about First Lady Melania Trump, comparing her to an “expectant widow.” This comment aired merely two days prior to an incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, making it the third attempt on President Trump’s life.
The 64-year-old actor, a vocal Democrat, drew ire from many internet users when he remarked on Monday night that “jokes are jokes,” in response to being questioned about Kimmel’s comment.
Speaking at the 51st Chaplin Award Gala, Clooney told Variety, “Jimmy’s a comedian, and I would argue that Karoline Leavitt didn’t mean shots should be fired. She was making a joke. Fair enough. You look at that side and go, ‘Well, jokes are jokes.’ But the rhetoric is a little dangerous. And we’ve seen it a lot lately.”
Clooney, a known critic of Trump, emphasized that there is “no place” for the violence that occurred at the Washington gala. He further stated, “Nor is there room for this kind of violence in Minnesota with Alex Pretti or Renée Good.”
In response to Clooney’s comments, critics quickly seized the opportunity to highlight the fraud allegations involving the Southern Poverty Law Center, using it as leverage to criticize him.
Critics wasted no time in bringing up the fraud allegations embroiling the Southern Poverty Law Center to attack Clooney.
Clooney and his wife Amal, 48, donated $1 million to the nonprofit through their foundation The Clooney Foundation for Justice in August 2017 — 10 days after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“Is he deranged or just dumb,” one critic scoffed.
“George Clooney is irrelevant. He’s a grumpy, old man,” another said, blasting the “Ocean’s Eleven” star.
“He was never very bright and has no wisdom to pass on to younger generations.”
“America can sleep easy tonight knowing George Clooney has weighed in,” a third X user mocked.
Clooney’s latest intervention proved to be the final straw for some.
“Time to cancel George Clooney. Forever!” an X user wrote. “I will never watch another one of his films.”
President Trump and the First Lady have led calls for Kimmel to be fired over the joke he made in his skit mocking the White House Correspondents Dinner.
“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel defended the quip – saying his performance was “a pretend roast” far removed from the purported assassination attempt against President Trump.
He insisted that the joke was “about [Melania’s] age difference and the look of joy we see on her face” whenever she and Trump are together.
The Trumps did not find Kimmel’s joke to be humorous – with Melania claiming the comic’s “hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country.”
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” she wrote on X.
“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. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Trump also demanded that ABC, which airs Kimmel’s show, immediately can the comedian.
“Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social, echoing a call made by the first lady.
Oz Pearlman, who was seen entertaining the top table moments before shots were heard inside the Washington Hilton, canceled his appearance on Kimmel’s show.
