Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel found himself embroiled in a “brouhaha” on Thursday, after Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican representative from Georgia, called the Capitol police on the comedian.
At issue was a joke Kimmel made about how Greene, whom Kimmel calls “Klan mom”, had called the three GOP senators who supported Ketanji Brown Jackson’s supreme court nomination “pro-pedophile”. Kimmel joked: “where is Will Smith when you need him?”
Greene “decided she was going to get some political mileage out of this”, Kimmel said. “This is what she does instead of working. She tweets.” Greene tweeted at ABC that “this threat of violence against me by @jimmykimmel” had been filed with the Capitol police.
“She called the police and reported this!” Kimmel marveled. “Not only did she call the police, she called the same police she voted against giving a congressional gold medal to for defending our Capitol against the insurrection she helped incite on January 6th. That’s who she called: the people she wanted to defund.
“It’s amazing how quickly you can go from ‘these liberals who can’t say anything any more’ to ‘what’d you say? I’m calling the cops!’” Kimmel continued. “It must be that cancel culture they’re always talking about.”
In a separate tweet, Greene called Kimmel’s joke a “dog-whistle to the violent left to assault me or worse” and asked “how many new death threats will I get that are your fans?”
Kimmel responded: “Not only don’t I condone death or any kind of threats against anyone, especially since I get dozens of them a week myself from the sickos who align with you, I also find it very rich that a person who did this in her campaign ad” – shooting a semi-automatic gun – “is whining about fantasies of violence.”
Moreover, Greene has endorsed fringe conspiracy theories and repeatedly expressed support for executing prominent Democratic politicians. “Now she’s dialing 911 because she got made fun of,” said Kimmel. “She’s a snowflake and a sociopath at the same time.”
Seth Meyers
On Late Night, Seth Meyers recapped a House vote to hold Trump aides Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino in criminal contempt of Congress. They join two other former Trump White House officials held in criminal contempt, Steve Bannon and former chief of staff Mark Meadows. (Bannon has been indicted and is awaiting trial.)
“At this point, it’s easier to list the Trump aides who aren’t in legal trouble,” said Meyers.
The vote was not without disruption; Representative Greene, AKA “the are you for fucking real housewife of DC”, heckled Congressman Jamie Raskin as he was speaking, “like a drunk aunt at a comedy show who thinks everyone’s there to see her”, Meyers said.
And the House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, “threw a fit” because he thought no one was listening to him. “Buddy, if people are standing and talking you can’t bitch about it, you’ve got to grow a spine and plow right through,” Meyers said.
McCarthy and Trump are similar in that both are “dangerous and pathetic at the same time, which is true of so much of the GOP these days,” Meyers said. “It’s honestly bewildering. Trump’s like one of those cats who gets stuck on a Roomba but then if you go near it he’ll hiss and claw your eyes out.”
Stephen Colbert
And on the Late Show, Stephen Colbert celebrated the Senate’s confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, making her the first black female justice ever to serve on the supreme court. After the vote, Biden hugged Jackson in an emotional moment. “It was reminiscent of when Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed and the former president helped him do a keg stand,” Colbert joked.
Colbert also discussed the Covid outbreak among the political class in Washington DC. At least 14 guests at Saturday’s Gridiron Club dinner have tested positive for the virus, including the communications director for Vice-President Kamala Harris, Representatives Adam Schiff and Joaquin Castro and attorney general Merrick Garland. “OK, that proves that Mitch McConnell is worse than a disease, because at least Covid was willing to meet with Merrick Garland,” Colbert joked.
And the UN general assembly voted to suspend Russia’s membership on the UN human rights council. “That sounds right,” said Colbert. “You know what sounds wrong? Russia was on the human rights council.”
Pope Francis, of all people, also expressed dissatisfaction with the UN. “In the ongoing war in Ukraine, we witness the impotence of the International Organizations of the United Nations,” he said in a statement.
“It’s never a good sign when the celibate guy calls you impotent,” said Colbert. “Or when the Catholic church says ‘you guys are moving too slowly.’
• This article was amended on 10 April 2022. Greene is a Republican representative from Georgia, not Florida as an earlier version said.
