American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel delivered an alternative Christmas message this year, taking aim what he said was the rise of fascism under Donald Trump’s government.
Kimmel has a long-running feud with the US president which has escalated since his show was suspended in September by broadcaster ABC due to criticism he launched at Mr Trump and his “MAGA gang” over their handling of Charlie Kirk’s death.
Mr Trump celebrated the suspension, saying Kimmel was “not a talented person”, and was “fired for lack of talent,” before calling for other left-wing hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, to face the same fate.
The show was reinstated the following week after Disney-owned ABC faced backlash from celebrities, fans and free speech advocates.
Protesters out in support of Kimmel in September. Pic: Reuters
Speaking in his Christmas message for Channel 4, a spoof of the official royal message on Christmas Day, Kimmel said: “From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year. Tyranny is booming over here.”
He reflected on the cancellation and reinstatement of his show, saying: “We won, the president lost – and now I’m back on the air every night, giving the most powerful politician on Earth a right, and richly deserved, b****cking.”
He referred to the president as “King Donny the Eighth” and suggested he was “calling for executions”.
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He added: “Here in the United States right now, we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy. From the free press, to science, to medicine, to judicial independence, to the actual White House itself, we are a right mess.
“And we know this is also affecting you, and I just wanted to say sorry,” he said with a shrug.
“And we want you to know or, at least I want you to know, that we’re not all like him. We’re not all like that.”
Towards the end of the broadcast, he said: “We are not bright. We’re Americans. No one knows better than you we’re always just a little bit late to the game, but do we come through in the end? Maybe. Give us about three years. Please.”
First airing in 1993, the annual broadcast has served as an alternative to the monarch’s annual televised address and aims to bring viewers a message about the year’s events.
Comedian Chris McCausland, Sir Stephen Fry and actor Danny Dyer have delivered the speech in recent years.
