Jimmy Kimmel’s tearful gun-control rant sparks online row
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has been praised and criticized over his tearful TV tirade lambasting President Donald Trump for a lack of gun control. The Twitter row highlighted hypocrisy on both sides of the 2nd Amendment debate.
Kimmel launched a five-minute stand-up onslaught over Trump’s comments on the Florida school shooting during the Thursday night edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Trump tweeted that there were “so many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed.”
“I agree, this is a mental illness issue because if you don’t think we need to do something about it, you’re obviously mentally ill,” Kimmel said.
READ MORE: Great gun divide: School shooting survivors vent fury at Fox News analyst
Kimmel warned Trump: “don’t you dare” say it was “too soon” to talk about the gun control issue, which he has said after previous shootings. “Children are being murdered,” Kimmel said, with tears welling up. "You still haven’t done anything about this. Nothing. You’ve literally done nothing."
The host said Trump should instead urge Republicans to back gun control legislation. “Tell these congressmen and lobbyists who infest that swamp you said you were going to drain, force these allegedly Christian men and women who stuff their pockets with money from the NRA year after year after year, to do something now. Not later. Now.”
Kimmel received praise from fellow liberals like fellow TV host Ellen Degeneres and recording artist Moby.
Please watch my friend @JimmyKimmel's response to the school shooting. I love him so much. https://t.co/GncRKb9bjW
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 16, 2018
amazing, @jimmykimmel , thank you. #GunControlNowhttps://t.co/usearFro9d
— moby XⓋX (@thelittleidiot) February 16, 2018
However, conservatives criticized Kimmel, calling him a “crybaby” and even comparing him to hyperbole-prone conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck, who has also been ridiculed for bursting into tears on-air.
The Left's favorite crybaby, @jimmykimmel, does it again: "Do something you big, bad Republicans."Yawn. https://t.co/W7rPUlpDqi
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) February 16, 2018
When @glennbeck was moved to tears over the state of our nation and condemned Pres. Obama with explosive and vitriolic rhetoric he was ridiculed and labeled a nut case. When @jimmykimmel does the same to Trump he's a hero.
— Larry O'Connor (@LarryOConnor) February 16, 2018
. @jimmykimmel has reached full @glennbeck level of tear-filled anguish over the president. In fact, Kimmel is MORE unhinged on Trump than Beck was on Obama. And Kimmel is the host of a mainstream entertainment show on the @ABCNetwork.
— Larry O'Connor (@LarryOConnor) February 16, 2018
Other Twitter users pointed out that there were many shooting while former President Barack Obama was in office, yet nothing was done.
Kimmel, all of the mass shooting under Obama and you didn't say a thing and now all you do is promote the liberal agenda and help your pal Chuck Schumer get votes for the midterm elections, you're a tool, just another useful idiot https://t.co/h3ju6TSYwE
— Shade of Black🇺🇸✈️ (@ShoutofReason) February 16, 2018
Jimmy Kimmel slams Pres. Trump and Congress over inaction on gun control and pleads for action in the wake of the deadly shooting at a Florida high school: “Children are being murdered.” https://t.co/jAmLDAikdCpic.twitter.com/Ye22ScAQSz
— ABC News (@ABC) February 16, 2018
Jimmy Kimmel blames President Trump, Congress for school shootinghttps://t.co/2V7N0hk8E1#10TVpic.twitter.com/9KJap3Qw7V
— 10TV.com (@10TV) February 16, 2018
Jimmy Kimmel attacking Trump over gun violence! I don’t remember him attacking Obama over gun violence. Liberal hypocrite!! #cnn#msnbc#FoxNews
— Sean Barrett (@spbarrett13) February 16, 2018
@jimmykimmel I'm trying to remember what Kimmel said about Obama being at fault after Sandy Hook
— kathy asheton (@kathyasheton) February 16, 2018
I wish all these opinions from ppl like Jimmy Kimmel came when obama was POTUS too. Why they act like this is a "new" topic and DT is the first to not change is anything is bizarre.
— Paige Sullivan (@PaigeSully88) February 16, 2018
Were there any mass shootings during the last administration? Why, yes there were. Did Jimmy Kimmel blame Obama? Why, no he didn’t. #TrumpTrain
— Joanne Shumaker (@grandyjo) February 16, 2018
What did Obama do? He was in for 8 years, Trump one. Last I checked, the President doesn't make laws, Congress does. Did Kimmel call Obama mentally ill every time there was a mass shooting? Typical drivel from @jimmykimmel
— TTT (@StLThrash) February 16, 2018
Crybaby liberal, Jimmy Kimmel calls Trump mentally ill because "guns". He should worry more about the millions of people his heroes, Obama and Hillary senselessly slaughtered. pic.twitter.com/69W11fwJSI
— Meme Chaos (@ExtinctMedia) February 16, 2018
Radio host Larry Elder took an apparently sarcastic tone:
How does @jimmykimmel do it? Heath care expert, firearms expert--and I hear he occasionally tells jokes. #floridahighschoolshooting
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) February 16, 2018
Joe Conti, host of the Conti Tonight Show, tweeted a meme that contrasted calls for gun control with those for teachers to be armed to defend themselves and their students against gun rampages:
Waiting for you to join us in the "common sense" line @jimmykimmelpic.twitter.com/pJDhh1j129
— Conti Tonight Show 🎙️ (@ContiTonight) February 16, 2018
On Wednesday Jimmy Kimmel Live writer Bess Kalb tweeted the amounts of donations lawmakers received from the National Rifle Association (NRA).
“This is a pandemic that's killing children," Kalb said in another tweet. "And it's perpetrated by hypocrites who preach a doctrine of 'life' but take money from a profit-driven gun lobby."
God have mercy on your NRA-kept souls:Richard Burr$6,986,620 Roy Blunt$4,551,146Thom Tillis$4,418,012Cory Gardner$3,879,064Marco Rubio$3,303,355Joni Ernst$3,124,273Rob Portman$3,061,941Todd Young$2,896,732Bill Cassidy$2,861,047https://t.co/y9US2i6CPD
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) February 14, 2018
