Jimmy Kimmel hit hard this Tuesday, September 23. For his return to American screens, the host was accompanied by Robert de Niro. In his surprise appearance, the 81 -year -old actor assumed the role of a fictional president of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -media regulatory authority in the United States.
There he played a character with the appearance of a sponsor of the mafia, in a sketch that constitutes a direct response to the pressures exercised by the Trump administration in the media. The diatriba remembers the threats of the president (real) of the FCC Brendan Carr.
“Then, he tells Whoopi that it would be better to show some respect, or the only opinion he will have, will be George Washington from the bridge, not the type,” said Niro, referring to Whoopi Goldberg of ‘The View’, another ABC program in the authorities’ viewer.
A satire that reveals political tensions
The sketch took a particularly committed turn when Jimmy Kimmel said the FCC used “mafia tactics to eliminate freedom of expression.” De Niro then exploded, using an orderly vocabulary: “What did you tell me? I am the damn FCC. I can say what I want, brothel.”
The actor continued to ironically explain the new price scale for freedom of expression: “speech is no longer free. They now charge us in the word.” According to his character, the fulfillment of “beautiful thick and yellow hair of the president” costs nothing, but making a joke about his weight “will cost expensive.”
This staging echoes the criticism of Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who had compared Brendan Carr with a “chief of the mafia” for his “dangerous tactics.” Since his appointment as president of the FCC, Carr has fought a war against the freedom of expression of those who criticized or made fun of the president.
The return of Jimmy Kimmel follows the last minute negotiations with Disney, owner of ABC, who had yielded to federal pressures. Although the program is transmitted again, not all local stations have chosen to program it.
The humorist had been suspended after accusing US law to politically exploit the murder of influencer pro-trump Charlie Kirk. His suspension has fed a national controversy over freedom of expression.
Source: BFM TV
