There was a time when late-night television was about laughter, not lectures. Then came the age of Trump Derangement Syndrome — and somehow, the disease didn’t stop at cable news. It’s now running rampant through the Kimmel household.
Molly McNearney, wife of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live, just admitted she’s cut ties with family members who voted for Donald Trump. She said she sent them “numerous emails” begging them not to, and when they didn’t listen, she walked away.
So let’s recap: the woman who helps write Jimmy’s jokes also writes emails begging her relatives not to vote wrong. And she’s shocked that her family stopped replying.
You almost have to admire the self-awareness — or total lack thereof.
When “Comedy” Turned Into Therapy
McNearney didn’t just share her heartbreak privately. She went on a podcast called We Can Do Hard Things — which might be the most unintentionally accurate title ever. Hard things, like tolerating relatives with different political views.
According to her, Trump supporters didn’t just disagree with her husband’s politics — they voted against him personally. Because obviously, when America casts 160 million votes, they’re all secretly thinking about Jimmy Kimmel.
This is the kind of worldview only Hollywood money can buy — the belief that middle America exists to validate your feelings.
And it explains a lot about the current state of late night. Jimmy Kimmel’s job used to be entertaining hardworking Americans looking for an escape before bed. Now he’s performing emotional check-ins about his wife’s political trauma.
The Ghost of Carson Past
To understand how far we’ve fallen, you have to go back to the gold standard — Johnny Carson.
In that legendary 60 Minutes interview, Carson was asked why he never used his platform to push politics. His answer should be required viewing for every modern host with a teleprompter and a chip on their shoulder.
“Once you start that,” Carson said, “you start to get that self-important feeling that what you say has great import. And you could sway people. I don’t think you should, as an entertainer.”
Carson understood something Kimmel never did: people don’t watch late-night TV to be lectured. They watch to laugh. They watch to unwind. They watch to feel human again after a long day — not to be told which aunt they should disinvite from Thanksgiving.
The Activist Host Nobody Asked For
Jimmy Kimmel used to be funny — even edgy. Now, he’s become the kind of sanctimonious hall monitor who “fact-checks” punchlines and cries on cue for ratings. He blames America’s problems on Fox News viewers while insisting his own show never lies — just “tells jokes.”
Apparently, “jokes” now include political sermons, cheap shots at faith, and smug virtue-signaling wrapped in laugh tracks. It’s hard to tell whether Kimmel’s writing staff is working for ABC or the DNC.
And that brings us back to his wife — the head writer and executive producer — who’s openly said her husband is “fighting this man,” referring to Donald Trump.
That’s the problem right there. He’s not supposed to fight. He’s supposed to be funny.
When Late Night Became Late Lectures
The Johnny Carsons of the world made us laugh at ourselves. The Jimmy Kimmels of the world make us wish someone would hand them a mirror.
Carson saw the danger decades ago. The moment entertainers start thinking of themselves as moral leaders, the entertainment dies. What replaces it is what we have now: a nightly pity party for the perpetually offended.
If you want proof, just listen to Molly McNearney describe her relationship with her family. That’s not comedy. That’s a case study in emotional burnout disguised as activism.
Late-night TV used to be the escape from politics. Now, it’s therapy for people who can’t stop talking about it.
Editor’s Note: This article reflects the opinion of the author.
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