I’m not a lawyer, much less a constitutional legal scholar, but it is my understanding that for an employee—whether a plumber, a software engineer, or even a television personality whose job it is to comment on newsworthy events—continued tenure may be dependent on not causing your employer grief.
For Jimmy Kimmel and ABC, grief came when two prominent ABC affiliates, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting, piled onto Federal Communications Commission threats about the network’s license. The companies said they would no longer carry Kimmel’s late night show as a protest to the comedian’s comments concerning how the MAGA movement was reacting to the killing of Charlie Kirk by Tyler Robinson.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said Monday night during his monologue.
ABC indefinitely suspended Kimmel.
Time Out: For the record, I abhor ABC, Nexstar and Sinclair’s actions. Technically legal, their deeds clearly were meant to stifle dissent against Donald Trump and fellow right wing travelers. They didn’t care about our nation’s laudable history of political humor and outright criticism.
With Kimmel’s show barred from hundreds of stations ABC chose financial relief versus free speech values. To be clear, Kimmel did not have unfettered free speech. His monologues were not protected speech.
But from Thomas Nast to Will Rogers to Herblock to the current foursome of late night comedians (Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers) Americans have benefitted from lively, often amusing, commentary on the political haps and mishaps of our government.
Trump has taken umbrage to the extreme. He is thin skinned, plotting to take revenge against individuals and companies that skewer him or do not toe his line. Trump sues. Puts pressure on licenses. He might even pressure companies not to advertise on shows he doesn’t like. Companies that control network affiliates may drop shows with performers or themes they don’t agree with. When you want to stifle on air negative comments it pays to own vast media properties.
It’s not censorship, but it’s the closest legal facsimile.
In all the dustup about Kimmel’s comments, what hasn’t garnered much press is the remark on air last week by Fox News host Brian Kilmeade that mentally ill homeless people who refuse help should receive “involuntary lethal injection, or something. Just kill ’em.”
Though Kilmeade apologized a few days later, Fox did not discipline him in any public fashion.
For the moment, liberal progressive thought is on the defensive on broadcast media. Should Democrats regain control of the White House and the FCC, the precedent of wielding a cudgel could fall on Fox News and similar conservative mouthpieces.
The Thought Police are alive and well in TrumpWorld 1984. Donald Trump is reimagining history, scrubbing exhibits in museums that don’t reflect his pearly white view of the American experience.
Before it’s too late, George Orwell’s “1984” should be mandatory reading in all high school and colleges/universities.
***No A.I. .was used in the writing and editing of this post. The only intelligence employed was my own.***
