John Cleese and Piers Morgan are engaged in a public feud on social media following the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! due to comments made by the host about the death of Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at a university in Utah. Kimmel, on his late-night show, criticized right-wing figures, referring to them as the “MAGA gang” and insinuating that the killer was associated with them.
This led to backlash against Kimmel, with President Trump and FCC chairman Brendan Carr condemning his remarks and advocating for the show’s removal. ABC, the network airing the show, subsequently suspended it indefinitely.
Piers Morgan criticized Kimmel’s actions, stating that the false claims about Kirk’s assassin being MAGA incited justified outrage and led to the show’s suspension. In response, John Cleese pointed out Morgan’s ties to Rupert Murdoch, sparking further exchanges between the two.
The dispute between Cleese and Morgan escalated, with Cleese criticizing Morgan for his association with Murdoch. In return, Morgan highlighted his own fame and social media following compared to Cleese.
Meanwhile, supporters of Jimmy Kimmel are concerned about the show’s future. Negotiations are reportedly ongoing to potentially bring the show back on air, but Kimmel’s contract is nearing its end, raising doubts about the show’s continuation.
President Trump praised ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel and called for the removal of other late-night hosts like Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. Trump’s actions follow a lawsuit against CBS, which some speculate led to the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show.
The ongoing feud and controversies surrounding late-night hosts have sparked debates about free speech and media integrity in the entertainment industry.