Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel reignited controversy by repeating a provocative joke about First Lady Melania Trump on his show. The quip, which originally fell flat during a monologue just days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, described Melania as resembling an “expectant widow.”
Kimmel, who had previously faced backlash for making similarly insensitive comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination back in September, seemed unfazed by potential repercussions. On his Monday night episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” he addressed the situation with a sense of defiance.
“Today felt like déjà vu for me,” Kimmel remarked during his show.
He clarified that his comedic roast last Thursday was meant to mimic the traditional humor shared at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which was not held this year.
During his routine, Kimmel made a pointed joke at the expense of the first lady.
“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” he quipped.
He repeated the tasteless joke verbatim in his monologue on Monday after a failed assassination attempt on President Trump’s life and Melania calling him out for “hateful and violent rhetoric.”
At the dinner Saturday, accused gunman Cole Allen stormed into the Washington Hilton with the alleged intent to kill as many members of the Trump administration as possible.
Kimmel swore that his performance was “a pretend roast” far removed from the purported assassination attempt.
“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,” Kimmel said.
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.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
