Jimmy Kimmel reads his own mean tweets about his pro-vaccination PSA

(Image credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live)

published 3 March 2015

Last week, Jimmy Kimmel broadcast this surprisingly hard-hitting public service announcement about childhood vaccinations. He felt the need to talk about vaccinations, he said, because, at least in some parts of Southern California, "parents care more about gluten than smallpox." Since anti-vaccination parents wouldn't take advice from a talk-show host, Kimmel invited on real (foul-mouthed) doctors, who "didn't learn about the human body from their friends' Facebook page." Jenny McCarthy probably won't go on Kimmel Live anytime soon:

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On Monday night's show, Kimmel noted that, not surprisingly, anti-vaccination advocates weren't pleased with his segment. The part where Kimmel reads terrible things people tweeted at him, then refuses their demands to apologize or "give the other side," is really good television. The part where "Jack and Becky" try to convince parents to let their kids decide about vaccinations is merely amusing. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.