Fox News anchor Sean Hannity unleashed a fiery attack on late-night host Jimmy Kimmel during his Thursday primetime show, accusing the ABC star of glorifying crime after a polarizing joke about vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles.
Hannity didn’t mince words, branding Kimmel an “unhinged loser” and calling out Disney CEO Bob Iger, whose company owns ABC, the home of Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003.
“Bob Iger, you’re the CEO of Disney. Are you proud of this?” Hannity demanded, putting the executive squarely in the hot seat.
The controversy erupted over Kimmel’s recent monologue addressing Tesla’s slumping stock prices, linked partly to backlash against CEO Elon Musk and his rumored White House connections.
Kimmel waded into the fray with a quip about arson and vandalism incidents hitting Tesla vehicles and showrooms. “People have been vandalizing Tesla vehicles. New Tesla vehicles. Please don’t vandalize. Don’t ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,” he said, pausing as the audience roared with laughter.
Hannity’s Critique and Musk’s Response
Hannity seized on the moment, accusing Kimmel of hypocrisy and highlighting a perceived disconnect in the comedian’s public image. “Jimmy, he sobs, he weeps when an election doesn’t go his way,” Hannity charged.
“He demands compassion when he’s having issues in his personal life, yet here he is allowed by ABC and Disney to joke about criminal acts that impact everyday citizens.” He argued that Kimmel’s jest undermined regular Americans who drive Teslas, framing it as a betrayal of the empathy the host often champions.
The Fox News veteran doubled down, questioning Disney’s oversight and values. “Bob, are you okay with this seeming glorification of violence?” Hannity pressed.
“Is this what you consider the ‘inclusive, woke DEI’ brand that ABC Disney stands for?” His critique tapped into broader tensions over media accountability and corporate responsibility, amplifying the stakes of the clash.
Elon Musk jumped into the fray too, blasting Kimmel on X with a terse “unfunny jerk” jab. The Tesla mogul’s retort added fuel to an already blazing feud, echoing Hannity’s disdain.
A History of Feuds and Cultural Divide
This isn’t Hannity and Kimmel’s first rodeo. Back in 2018, they traded barbs for days after Kimmel mocked then-First Lady Melania Trump’s accent, a spat that spilled across airwaves and social media.
The latest dust-up underscores the deepening divide in entertainment’s political landscape. Kimmel’s supporters might argue his Tesla bit was biting satire, but critics like Hannity view it as a reckless nod to real-world crime, spotlighting what they see as late-night TV’s shifting tone.
Neither ABC nor Iger has weighed in on Hannity’s salvo or the monologue’s fallout as of yet, leaving the debate simmering in the public square.
