Jimmy Kimmel, Donald Trump and why artistic free speech is in trouble
Everything is getting very 1984. It feels a little cliché to bring up George Orwell’s seminal text, but his exploration of censorship really does feel more relevant than ever – and it’s terrifying.
We’re living in a dystopia where the ability to express yourself through art is no longer a promise, it’s a luxury. The recent suspension of The Jimmy Kimmel Show following the presenter’s comments on the reaction to the Charlie Kirk shooting is the latest example of a world moving further and further towards complete totalitarianism. America is the so-called land of the free, but ABC’s quickfire silencing of Kimmel only proves that if you don’t align with a certain way of thinking, you might as well shut up.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “Here’s a question JD Vance might be able to answer: who wanted to hang the guy who was vice president before you? Was that the liberal left? Or the toothless army who stormed the Capitol on January 6th?”
The fact that Donald Trump’s response had all the eloquence of an angry five-year-old really says it all: “Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
What does this mean for mainstream media? Are we heading towards a world where only those who agree with the politician in charge are allowed the freedom to express themselves?
If someone as popular as Kimmel is shut down in an instance, while Kirk was allowed to express his blatantly racist, such as, “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified”, misogynistic, such as saying of Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce, “Reject feminism, submit to your husband, Taylor, you’re not in charge,” and a vile lack of empathy for others on a podcast available for anyone to listen to on Spotify, it looks like we’re well and truly doomed. I’m sure this doesn’t come as a surprise, but it really feels like yet another nail in the coffin of freedom and artistic expression.
Kimmel’s cancelling comes shortly after Pussy Riot, the Russian protest band, were sentenced to prison in absentia following performances which criticised their country and expressed anti-war sentiments, as well as an incident which saw one of the members urinate on a picture of Vladimir Putin. Pussy Riot’s vehement criticism of war and the deaths of innocent civilians shouldn’t be groundbreaking – it’s basic human decency to care about these matters – but the reaction from these governments is proof that art really has the power to challenge and to confront.
Look at bands like Kneecap and Bob Vylan. Kneecap have been accused of terrorism and their Glastonbury set was even censored by the BBC, all because they’ve been proudly flying the flag for Palestine and condemning the genocidal terror that has been waged by Israel. Meanwhile, Bob Vylan had a gig in the Netherlands cancelled on September 16th following the band’s comments on the killing of Kirk, which saw them say, “The pronouns was/were. Cause if you chat shit you will get banged. Rest in peace Charlie Kirk, you piece of shit.”
Sure, these are words that are going to divide people, but why should they be silenced? If the right can spout racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic rhetoric while actively denying a genocide, why can’t those with opposing views also have their say? Art has always been about freedom of expression, but now it seems like this is only the case when it suits the hegemonic political power.
Everything really does feel bleak, doesn’t it? There’s been a sharp increase in conservatism over the past few years, and if there’s one thing conservatives don’t know (well, among many other things), it’s good art. The greatest artists of bygone years, the innovators and the provocateurs, have made art that criticises governments, and that can’t be stopped.
There are too many incredible artists out there who will keep making art that will have the right cowering in fear, and while suppression is a real possibility, all we can do is keep going, fighting fascism as much as we can through unabashed creation. Now is not the time to back down.
