Bill Maher Rips Hollywood for Ignoring Charlie Kirk's Assassination at Emmys
EXCLUSIVE SCOOP: Bill Maher Slams Hollywood Elite for Ignoring Charlie Kirk's Assassination, while Jimmy Kimmel Gets Canned Over MAGA Remark
The Emmy Awards may have been a night of glamour and glitz, but for comedian Bill Maher, it was an opportunity to call out the silence of Hollywood's elite on a pressing issue. During his latest episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the liberal firebrand took aim at the A-list crowd for failing to acknowledge the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Just four days after Kirk's fatal shooting in Utah Valley University, the Emmy Awards ceremony unfolded in Los Angeles, and it was clear that politics were on everyone's mind. But when Maher brought up Kirk's murder, the response from his guests was telling. MSNBC's Alex Wagner appeared to scoff at the remark, with Maher pushing her to admit she knew, deep down, that he was right.
But Maher wasn't having it. He slammed the Hollywood elite for their silence on Kirk's assassination, saying, "Would it have killed someone to get up there and say we had a political assassination this week and that's wrong?" The fact that they didn't speaks volumes about the toxic climate in which politics are now discussed.
Maher then turned his attention to the recent cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel's show, which was pulled after he made a remark about Kirk's assassin being part of the "MAGA gang." While Maher disagreed with Kimmel's claim, he defended the late-night host, saying that he shouldn't have been fired over it.
"Jimmy's wrong, I think, to put him in one team," Maher said. "He doesn't belong in either party - he belongs in a straitjacket." But what really got Maher's goat was the network's decision to pull Kimmel off the air. "As if a 22-year-old with a trans girlfriend never rebelled against their family," he quipped sarcastically, shrugging in disbelief that his fellow host hadn't picked up on what he saw as an obvious point.
Maher also took a pointed jab at ABC, saying, "ABC stands for Always Be Caving." It's a comment that resonated with many in the industry, who are now questioning the network's decision to cancel Kimmel's show. After all, it was just 24 years ago that Maher himself was canned from the same network over his own controversial remarks about the 9/11 hijackers.
The Fallout Continues
The controversy surrounding Kimmel's cancellation has sparked outrage among conservatives, with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announcing he may launch an investigation into both Kimmel and ABC. Former President Trump also chimed in, calling it "great news for America" and commending ABC for finally taking a stand.
But many left-leaning prominent figures are slamming the president's suggestion as nothing short of censorship. CBS's Stephen Colbert dedicated his monologue to free speech, showing support for Kimmel's team at ABC. "This is blatant censorship," he said. "You cannot give him an inch."
Colbert then blasted Trump as an autocrat, saying, "Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100 percent." Late-night host Jimmy Fallon also addressed the controversy during a taping of The Tonight Show on Thursday.
"To be honest with you all, I don't know what's going on - no one does," Fallon said. "But I do know Jimmy Kimmel and he is a decent, funny and loving guy. And I hope he comes back."
Sacramento Shooting Raises Questions
Just one day after protesters rallied outside in opposition to the network's decision to pull Kimmel off the air, an ABC TV station was struck by gunfire. The Sacramento Police Department confirmed that at least three bullets hit a window facing the street, and people were inside the building at the time.
The shooting has raised questions about the escalating tensions between left-wing activists and conservative media personalities. As one source put it, "It's like the gloves are off. People are willing to take things to the next level."
