1 month ago
The FCC reportedly is preparing to nonstop ABC stations to record early renewals of their licenses, a move that quickly drew disapproval from nan commission’s sole Democrat.
Semafor and NBC News reported that nan agency was preparing to activity nan early renewals.
The FCC nether Chairman Brendan Carr already has been investigating Disney complete its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. But nan web has been nether unit from nan Trump management to occurrence Jimmy Kimmel, pursuing a joke past week he made astir First Lady Melania Trump being an “expectant widow.” That joke came days earlier nan shooting astatine nan White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, forcing Secret Service to unreserved Trump, nan first woman and Vice President JD Vance from nan dais.
An FCC spokesperson did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
Anna Gomez, nan only Democrat connected nan commission, said successful a statement, “This is unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere. It is a political stunt and it won’t stick. Companies should situation it head-on. The First Amendment is connected their side.”
Station licenses do not com up for renewal until 2028. Disney has not yet commented.
Kimmel was doing an “alternative” Correspondents’ Dinner roast, and quipped, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look astatine Melania, truthful beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you person a glow for illustration an expectant widow.”
Kimmel did not apologize for his joke connected Monday’s show.
Kimmel said, “This was Thursday. There was nary large guidance to it, until this morning, erstwhile I greeted nan time facing yet different Twitter vomit large wind and a telephone to occurrence maine from our First Lady, Melania Trump, saying I should beryllium fired because of a joke I made again 5 nights ago. It was a dress roast,” he said. “It evidently was a joke astir their property quality and nan look of joyousness we spot connected her look each clip they’re together. It was a very ray roast joke astir nan truth that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am. It was not, by immoderate agelong of nan definition, a telephone to assassination, and they cognize that. I’ve been very vocal for galore years, speaking retired against weapon violence, but I understand that nan First Lady had a stressful acquisition complete nan weekend, and astir apt each play is beautiful stressful successful that house.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said, “Jimmy Kimmel is simply a crap quality being for: #1. Making a disgusting joke astir assassinating nan President #2. Doubling down connected that joke alternatively of doing nan decent point by apologizing ABC needs to occurrence him instantly and he should beryllium shunned for nan remainder of his life.”
More to come.
