Jimmy Kimmel to annoyed Republican fans: "Not good riddance, but riddance"

Via the Free Beacon, is this now a trend? Eminem told his fans last week that they had to choose between supporting him and supporting Trump. Titans tight end Delanie Walker shrugged at fans skipping games over the anthem protests: “I mean, OK. Bye.” Now here’s Kimmel waving goodbye to Republicans tuning out because they’re tired of being lectured during a comedy show. For decades entertainers have been plain about their left-wing politics but usually drew the line at kissing off patronage from the other camp, for sound bottom-line reasons. Not anymore.

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Maybe hyper-tribalism in the age of Trump requires something more, not just fans boycotting entertainers over politics but entertainers boycotting fans. The charitable read is that even celebrities have political principles that mean more to them than their wealth and fame. If Kimmel’s willing to lose audience share because taking a stand for universal health care is much more important to him, well, he’s a man of his convictions. The less charitable read is that entertainers benefit with “the Resistance” and its media cheerleaders by signaling their antipathy to Trump in increasingly ostentatious ways, and there’s nothing more ostentatious than telling Trump’s fans that you don’t much care whether they stay or go. The bar for virtue-signaling among liberals is going to get higher during the Trump presidency. Shedding audience rather than toning down the politics or being more evenhanded may be the new bar.

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Two clips for you to compare and contrast. One is Kimmel, the other is Jimmy Fallon being asked why he’s not competing in the late-night Woke Olympics.


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